Motor vehicle gesture access system including powered door speed control

ABSTRACT

A gesture access system includes at least one wireless transceiver to be mounted to a motor vehicle having a powered door, a motor responsive to motor control signals to open the power door and a processor to process signals from the wireless transceiver to determine whether an object is exhibiting a predefined gesture and, if so, to control an unlocking actuator to unlock the powered door, to then continually monitor and process signals from the wireless transceiver to determine object parameters including a speed of movement of the object away from, and a distance of the object relative to, the powered door, determine a door opening speed based on the object parameters, and control the motor control signals to open the powered door at the determined door opening speed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/017,221, filed Sep. 10, 2020, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/284,347, filed Feb. 25, 2019 and now U.S.Pat. No. 10,822,845, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/164,570, filed Oct. 18, 2018 and now U.S. Pat. No.10,415,276, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/262,647, filed Sep. 12, 2016, now abandoned, which claimsthe benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 62/217,842, filed Sep. 12, 2015, which is also acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/378,823,filed Dec. 14, 2016, now abandoned, which claims the benefit of andpriority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/266,917,filed Dec. 14, 2015, and which also claims the benefit of and priorityto PCT/US2018/037517, filed Jun. 14, 2018, the disclosures of which areall expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to motor vehicle-mountedwireless access systems and, more particularly, to such systems in whichtransmitted and reflected wireless signals are used to detect thepresence of an in-range mobile device and to then detect a predefinedgesture for unlocking and/or opening at least one vehicle closure.

BACKGROUND

Many vehicles today are equipped with a passive entry system, or “PES.”In some PES implementations, a key fob communicates with a computer ofthe motor vehicle, and the motor vehicle computer operates toautomatically unlock one or more door locks of the motor vehicle inresponse to detection of the key fob being in close proximity to themotor vehicle. This allows an operator of the vehicle to approach thevehicle and open the door without having to manually unlock the doorwith a key or to manually press a button on the key fob. In some suchapplications, the motor vehicle computer is also configured toautomatically lock the vehicle in response to detection of the key fobbeing outside of the close proximity of the motor vehicle.

Another known type of hands-free vehicle access or entry system employsan infrared (“IR”) detector assembly. Typically, such systems may use anactive near infrared arrangement including multiple IR LEDs and one ormore sensors in communication with a computer or other circuitry. Thecomputer is typically operable in such an assembly to calculate thedistance of an object from the assembly by timing the interval betweenemission of IR radiation and reception by the sensor(s) of at least aportion of the emitted IR radiation that is reflected by the object backto the sensor(s), and then interpreting the timing information todetermine movement of the object within the IR field. Exemplary IRmovement recognition systems are disclosed in US Patent ApplicationPublication 20120200486, US Patent Application Publication 20150069249,and US Patent Application Publication 20120312956, and US PatentApplication Publication 20150248796, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY

This disclosure comprises one or more of the features recited in theattached claims, and/or one or more of the following features and anycombination thereof. In a first aspect, a gesture access system for amotor vehicle having a powered door may comprise at least one wirelesssignal transceiver configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, the atleast one wireless signal transceiver responsive to activation signalsto emit wireless signals outwardly away from the motor vehicle, and toproduce wireless detection signals, the wireless detection signalsincluding at least one reflected wireless signal if at least one of theemitted wireless signals is reflected by an object toward and detectedby the at least one wireless signal transceiver, a motor responsive tomotor control signals to open the power door, at least one processor,and at least one memory having instructions stored therein executable bythe at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to (i)process the activation and wireless detection signals to determinewhether an object is exhibiting a predefined gesture, (ii) upondetermining that the object is exhibiting the predefined gesture,control an unlocking actuator to unlock the powered door, (iii)following unlocking of the powered door, monitor and process theactivation and wireless detection signals to determine object parametersincluding a speed of movement of the object away from, and a distance ofthe object relative to, the powered door or the wireless transceiver,(iv) determine a door opening speed based on the object parameters, and(v) control the motor control signals to open the powered door at thedetermined door opening speed.

A second aspect may include the features of the first aspect, whereinthe instructions stored in the at least one memory may includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to continuallyexecute (iii)-(v) until the powered door is fully open.

A third aspect may include the features of the first aspect or thesecond aspect, and may further comprise a sensor configured to produce aspeed signal corresponding to an opening speed of the powered door, andwherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory may includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to process the speed signal to determine a measureddoor opening speed of the powered door, and to control the motor controlsignals to match the measured door opening speed to at least one of aspeed of the object moving away from the powered door and a position ofthe object relative to the powered door or relative to the wirelesstransceiver.

A fourth aspect may include the features of any one or combination ofthe first through third aspects, wherein the at least one memory mayhave stored therein an initial door opening speed, and wherein theinstructions stored in the at least one memory may include instructionsexecutable by the at least one processor to control the motor controlsignals to open the powered door at the initial door opening speedfollowing unlocking of the powered door, and wherein (v) may comprisecontrolling the motor control signals to control the door opening speedfrom the initial door opening speed to the determined door opening speedbased on the object parameters.

A fifth aspect may include the features of the fourth aspect, whereinthe instructions stored in the at least one memory may includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to control themotor control signals to maintain the initial door opening speed untilthe powered door is fully open in response to determining, based on theinitial door opening speed and the object parameters, that the objectmaintains a safe distance from the opening powered door.

A sixth aspect may include the features of any one or combination of thefirst through fifth aspects, and may further comprise at least oneindicator operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the at least onememory may have instructions stored therein executable by the at leastone processor to cause the at least one processor to activate the atleast one indicator in response to controlling the motor control signalsto open the powered door and to control operation of the at least oneindicator according to the determined door opening speed.

A seventh aspect may include the features of any one or combination ofthe first through sixth aspects, wherein the instructions stored in theat least one memory include instructions executable by the at least oneprocessor to control the motor control signals to stop the motor, andthereby stop the opening of the powered door, upon determining from thedoor opening speed and the object parameters that contact between thepower door and the object is imminent.

An eighth aspect may include the features of the seventh aspect, and mayfurther comprise at least one indicator operatively coupled to theprocessor, wherein the at least one memory may have instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to activate the at least one indicator in response to, andaccording to, controlling the motor control signals to stop the motor.

A ninth aspect may include the features of any one or combination of thefirst through eighth aspects, wherein the predefined gesture may includea predefined walking pattern, and wherein the at least one wirelesssignal transceiver may include an ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver andthe wireless detection signals are UWB detection signals, and whereinthe at least one memory may have instructions stored therein executableby the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor toprocess the activation and UWB detection signals to determine a positionof the object while following the predefined walking pattern and, upondetermining that the object is within a predefined position whilefollowing the predefined walking pattern, control the unlocking actuatorto unlock the powered door in response to the object being within thepredefined position while following the predefined walking pattern.

A tenth aspect may include the features of the ninth aspect, wherein theat least one wireless signal transceiver may include a Bluetooth LowEnergy (BLE) transceiver and the wireless detection signals are BLEdetection signals, and wherein the at least one memory has instructionsstored therein executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to process the activation and BLE detection signalsto determine an angle at which the object is moving while following thepredefined walking pattern and, upon determining that the angle iswithin a predefined angle while following the predefined walkingpattern, control the unlocking actuator to unlock the powered door inresponse to the object moving at the predefined angle while followingthe predefined walking pattern.

An eleventh aspect may include the features of any one or combination ofthe first through tenth aspects, and may further comprise at least oneindicator operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the predefinedgesture may comprise a predefined walking pattern, and wherein the atleast one memory may have instructions stored therein executable by theat least one processor to cause the at least one processor to activatethe at least one indicator in response to, and according to, at leastone of determining that the object is following the predefined walkingpattern and controlling the unlocking actuator to unlock the powereddoor.

A twelfth aspect may include the features of any one or combination ofthe first through eleventh aspects, and may further comprise a sensorconfigured to produce a perimeter signal corresponding a position of theobject relative to a predefined perimeter surrounding the motor vehicle,wherein the at least one memory may have instructions stored thereinexecutable by the at least one processor to process the perimeter signaland activate the at least one wireless signal transceiver in response tothe object being within the predefined perimeter.

A thirteenth aspect may include the features of the twelfth aspect,wherein the sensor may include at least one of the at least one wirelesssignal transceiver, a radar unit, an ultra-wideband radar unit, aninfrared sensor, a camera or a lidar scanner.

In a fourteenth aspect, a gesture access system for a motor vehiclehaving a powered door may comprise at least one wireless signaltransceiver configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, the at leastone wireless signal transceiver responsive to activation signals to emitwireless signals outwardly away from the motor vehicle, and to producewireless detection signals, the wireless detection signals including atleast one reflected wireless signal if at least one of the emittedwireless signals is reflected by an object toward and detected by the atleast one wireless signal transceiver, a motor responsive to motorcontrol signals to open the power door, at least one indicatorconfigured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, at least one processor,and at least one memory having instructions stored therein executable bythe at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to (i)monitor a mobile device status signal produced by a control computer ofthe motor vehicle or by the at least one processor based on adetermination by the control computer or the at least one processor of aproximity, relative to the motor vehicle, of a mobile communicationdevice known to the control computer or to the at least one processor,(ii) in response to the mobile device status signal corresponding to theknown mobile communication device being within a perimeter defined aboutthe motor vehicle, process the activation and wireless detection signalsto determine whether an object is exhibiting a predefined gesture, (iii)upon determining that the object is exhibiting the predefined gesture,control an unlocking actuator to unlock the powered door, (iv) followingunlocking of the powered door, control the motor control signals to openthe powered door and activate the at least one indicator according to adoor opening indication scheme. In some embodiments, the predefinedgesture may be or include a predefined walking pattern.

A fifteenth aspect may include the features of the fourteenth aspect,wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory may includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to (a) following unlocking of the powered door,monitor and process the activation and wireless detection signals todetermine object parameters including a speed of movement of the objectaway from, and a distance of the object relative to, the powered door orthe wireless transceiver, (b) determine a door opening speed based onthe object parameters, and (c) control the motor control signals to openthe powered door at the determined door opening speed.

A sixteenth aspect may include the features of the fifteenth aspect,wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory may includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to continuallyexecute (a)-(c) until the powered door is fully open, and wherein thedoor opening indication scheme may correspond to the determined dooropening speed and the at least one memory may have instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to control operation of the at least one indicatoraccording to the determined door opening speed.

A seventeenth aspect may include the features of the sixteenth aspect,and may further comprise a sensor configured to produce a speed signalcorresponding to an opening speed of the powered door, and wherein theinstructions stored in the at least one memory may include instructionsexecutable by the at least one processor to cause the at least oneprocessor to process the speed signal to determine a measured dooropening speed of the powered door, and to control the motor controlsignals to match the measured door opening speed to at least one of aspeed of the object moving away from the powered door and a position ofthe object relative to the powered door or relative to the wirelesstransceiver.

An eighteenth aspect may include the features of any one or combinationof the fourteenth through seventeenth aspects, wherein the indicator maybe at least one of an illumination device to produce light visible fromoutside the motor vehicle, a device configured to produce illuminatedgraphics, a device configured to project visible light or illuminatedgraphics onto a surface supporting the motor vehicle, or an audio deviceconfigured to produce one or more audible signals.

In a nineteenth aspect, a gesture access system for a motor vehiclehaving a powered door may comprise at least one wireless signaltransceiver configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, the at leastone wireless signal transceiver responsive to activation signals to emitwireless signals outwardly away from the motor vehicle, and to producewireless detection signals, the wireless detection signals including atleast one reflected wireless signal if at least one of the emittedwireless signals is reflected by an object toward and detected by the atleast one wireless signal transceiver, a motor responsive to motorcontrol signals to open the power door, at least one indicatorconfigured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, at least one processor,and at least one memory having instructions stored therein executable bythe at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to (i)process the activation and wireless detection signals to determinewhether an object is following a predefined walking pattern, (iii) upondetermining that the object is following the predefined walking pattern,control an unlocking actuator to unlock the powered door, (iv) followingunlocking of the powered door, control the motor control signals to openthe powered door and activate the at least one indicator according to adoor opening indication scheme.

A twentieth aspect may include the features of the nineteenth aspects,wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory may includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to (a) following unlocking of the powered door,monitor and process the activation and wireless detection signals todetermine object parameters including a speed of movement of the objectaway from, and a distance of the object relative to, the powered door orthe wireless transceiver, (b) determine a door opening speed based onthe object parameters, and (c) control the motor control signals to openthe powered door at the determined door opening speed.

In a twenty first aspect, a gesture access system for a motor vehiclemay comprise at least one wireless signal transceiver configured to bemounted to the motor vehicle, the at least one wireless signaltransceiver responsive to activation signals to emit wireless signalsoutwardly away from the motor vehicle, and to produce wireless detectionsignals, the wireless detection signals including at least one reflectedwireless signal if at least one of the emitted wireless signals isreflected by an object toward and detected by the at least one wirelesssignal transceiver, at least one processor, and at least one memoryhaving instructions stored therein executable by the at least oneprocessor to cause the at least one processor to monitor a mobile devicestatus signal produced by a control computer of the motor vehicle or bythe at least one processor based on a determination by the controlcomputer or the at least one processor of a proximity, relative to themotor vehicle, of a mobile communication device known to the controlcomputer or to the at least one processor, and operate in a gestureaccess mode by processing the activation and wireless detection signalsto determine whether an object is following a predefined walking patternand, upon determining that the object is following the predefinedwalking pattern, controlling at least one actuator associated with anaccess closure of the motor vehicle to lock, unlock, open or close theaccess closure in response to the object following the predefinedwalking pattern.

A twenty second aspect may include the features of the twenty firstaspect, wherein the at least one wireless signal transceiver may includean ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver and the wireless detection signalsmay be UWB detection signals, wherein the at least one memory hasinstructions stored therein executable by the at least one processor tocause the at least one processor to operate in the gesture access modeby processing the activation and UWB detection signals to determine aposition of the object while following the predefined walking patternand, upon determining that the object is within a predefined positionwhile following the predefined walking pattern, controlling at least oneactuator associated with the access closure of the motor vehicle tolock, unlock, open or close the access closure in response to the objectbeing within the predefined position while following the predefinedwalking pattern.

A twenty third aspect may include the features of either or both of thetwenty first and twenty second aspects, wherein the at least onewireless signal transceiver may include a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)transceiver and the wireless detection signals may be BLE detectionsignals, and wherein the at least one memory may have instructionsstored therein executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to operate in the gesture access mode by processingthe activation and BLE detection signals to determine an angle at whichthe object is moving while following the predefined walking pattern and,upon determining that the angle is within a predefined angle whilefollowing the predefined walking pattern, controlling at least oneactuator associated with the access closure of the motor vehicle tolock, unlock, open or close the access closure in response to the objectmoving at the predefined angle while following the predefined walkingpattern.

A twenty fourth aspect may include the features of any one orcombination of the twenty first through twenty third aspects, furthercomprising at least one indicator operatively coupled to the processor,wherein the predefined walking pattern may include a first stage and asecond stage, and wherein the at least one memory may have instructionsstored therein executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to activate the at least one indicator in responseto processing the activation and wireless detection signals to determinethat the object has followed the first stage of the predefined walkingpattern.

A twenty fifth aspect may include the features of the twenty fourthaspect, wherein the at least one memory may have instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to control the at least one actuator associated with theaccess closure of the motor vehicle to lock, unlock, open or close theaccess closure in response to processing the activation and wirelessdetection signals determining that the object has followed the secondstage of the predefined walking pattern.

A twenty sixth aspect may include the features of any one or combinationof the twenty first through twenty fifth aspects, further comprising asensor operatively coupled to the processor, the sensor being operableto determine whether the object is within a predefined perimeterrelative to the motor vehicle, wherein the at least one memory may haveinstructions stored therein executable by the at least one processor toactivate the at least one wireless signal transceiver in response to theobject being detected within the predefined perimeter by the sensor.

A twenty seventh aspect may include the features of the twenty sixthaspect, wherein the sensor may include at least one of a radar, anultra-wideband radar, an infrared sensor, camera or a lidar scanner.

A twenty eighth aspect may include the features of any one orcombination of the twenty first through twenty seventh aspects, furthercomprising a housing configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle,wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory may bemounted within the housing.

A twenty ninth aspect may include the features of the twenty eighthaspect, wherein the at least one wireless transceiver may be mountedwithin the housing and operatively coupled to the at least oneprocessor, and wherein the at least one processor produces theactivation signals and receives the radiation detection signals from theat least one wireless transceiver.

A thirtieth aspect may include the features of either of the twentyeighth and the twenty ninth aspects, wherein the housing may be mountedto or carried by a door handle assembly configured to be mounted to anaccess closure of the motor vehicle.

In a thirty first aspect, a gesture access system for a motor vehicle,may comprise at least one wireless signal transceiver configured to bemounted to the motor vehicle, the at least one wireless signaltransceiver responsive to activation signals to emit wireless signalsoutwardly away from the motor vehicle, and to produce wireless detectionsignals, the wireless detection signals including at least one reflectedwireless signal if at least one of the emitted wireless signals isreflected by an object toward and detected by the at least one wirelesssignal transceiver, at least one indicator configured to be mounted tothe motor vehicle, at least one processor operatively coupled to the atleast one indicator, and at least one memory having instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to monitor a mobile device status signal produced by acontrol computer of the motor vehicle or by the at least one processorbased on a determination by the control computer or the at least oneprocessor of a proximity, relative to the motor vehicle, of a mobilecommunication device known to the control computer or to the at leastone processor, and operate in a gesture access mode by processing theactivation and wireless detection signals to determine whether an objectis following a predefined walking pattern and, upon determining that theobject is following the predefined walking pattern, activate theindicator according to an activation scheme in response to determiningthe object is following the predefined walking pattern.

A thirty second aspect may include the features of the thirty firstaspect, and wherein the at least one memory has instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to, upon determiningthat the object is following the predefined walking pattern, control atleast one actuator associated with an access closure of the motorvehicle to lock, unlock, open or close the access closure in response tothe object following the predefined walking pattern.

A thirty third aspect may include the features of the thirty firstaspect or thirty second aspect, wherein the indicator may be at leastone of an illumination device to produce light visible from outside themotor vehicle or an audio device to produce one or more audible signals.

A thirty fourth aspect may include the features of one or anycombination of the thirty first through thirty third aspects, whereinthe predefined walking pattern may include a first stage and a secondstage, and wherein the at least one memory may have instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to activate the at least one indicator in response toprocessing the activation and wireless detection signals to determinethat the object has followed the first stage of the predefined walkingpattern, and in a manner indicative of the object having followed thefirst stage of the predefined walking pattern.

A thirty fifth aspect may include the features of the thirty fourthaspect, wherein the at least one memory may have instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to control the at least one actuator associated with theaccess closure of the motor vehicle to lock, unlock, open or close theaccess closure in response to processing the activation and wirelessdetection signals determining that the object has followed the secondstage of the predefined walking pattern.

A thirty sixth aspect may include the features of any of the thirtyfirst through thirty fifth aspects, wherein the at least one wirelesssignal transceiver may include an ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver andthe wireless detection signals are UWB detection signals, and whereinthe at least one memory may have instructions stored therein executableby the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor tooperate in the gesture access mode by processing the activation and UWBdetection signals to determine a position of the object while followingthe predefined walking pattern and, upon determining that the object iswithin a predefined position while following the predefined walkingpattern, controlling at least one actuator associated with the accessclosure of the motor vehicle to lock, unlock, open or close the accessclosure in response to the object being within the predefined positionwhile following the predefined walking pattern.

A thirty seventh aspect may include the features of the thirty sixthaspect, wherein the at least one wireless signal transceiver may includea Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transceiver and the wireless detectionsignals are BLE detection signals, and wherein the at least one memorymay have instructions stored therein executable by the at least oneprocessor to cause the at least one processor to operate in the gestureaccess mode by processing the activation and BLE detection signals todetermine an angle at which the object is moving while following thepredefined walking pattern and, upon determining that the angle iswithin a predefined angle while following the predefined walkingpattern, controlling at least one actuator associated with the accessclosure of the motor vehicle to lock, unlock, open or close the accessclosure in response to the object moving at the predefined angle whilefollowing the predefined walking pattern.

A thirty eighth aspect may include the features of any one orcombination of the thirty first through thirty seventh aspects, furthercomprising a housing configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle,wherein the at least one processor, the at least one memory, and the atleast one wireless transceiver may be mounted within the housing,wherein the at least one wireless transceiver may be operatively coupledto the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor mayproduce the activation signals and receive the radiation detectionsignals from the at least one wireless transceiver, and wherein thehousing may be mounted to or carried by a door handle assemblyconfigured to be mounted to an access closure of the motor vehicle.

In a thirty ninth aspect, a gesture access system for a motor vehiclemay comprise a sensor configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, atleast one ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver configured to be mounted tothe motor vehicle, the at least one UWB transceiver responsive toactivation signals to emit UWB signals outwardly away from the motorvehicle, and to produce UWB detection signals, the UWB detection signalsincluding at least one reflected UWB signal if at least one of theemitted UWB signals is reflected by an object toward and detected by theat least one UWB transceiver, at least one processor, and at least onememory having instructions stored therein executable by the at least oneprocessor to cause the at least one processor to activate the at leastone UWB transceiver in response to the sensor detecting an object withina predefined perimeter the motor vehicle, monitor a mobile device statussignal produced by a control computer of the motor vehicle or by the atleast one processor based on a determination by the control computer orthe at least one processor of a proximity, relative to the motorvehicle, of a mobile communication device known to the control computeror to the at least one processor, operate in a gesture access mode byprocessing the activation and UWB detection signals to determine whetheran object is following a predefined walking pattern and, upondetermining that the object is following the predefined walking pattern,and controlling at least one actuator associated with an access closureof the motor vehicle to lock, unlock, open or close the access closurein response to the object following the predefined walking pattern.

A fortieth aspect may include the features of the thirty ninth aspect,wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory may includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to, in response to the mobile device status signalcorresponding to the known mobile communication device being beyond thepredefined perimeter defined about the motor vehicle, operate in aninactive mode in which the at least one processor does not receive ordoes not act on UWB radiation detection signals.

A forty first aspect may include the features of the thirty ninth aspector the fortieth aspect, further comprising at least one indicatorconfigured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, wherein the at least onememory may have instructions stored therein executable by the at leastone processor to cause the at least one processor to activate theindicator according to an activation scheme in response to determiningthe object is following the predefined walking pattern.

A forty second aspect may include the features of any one or combinationof the thirty ninth through forty first aspects, further comprising aBluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transceiver configured to receive BLEdetection signals, wherein the at least one memory may have instructionsstored therein executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to operate in the gesture access mode by processingthe activation and BLE detection signals to determine an angle at whichthe object is moving while following the predefined walking pattern and,upon determining that the angle is within a predefined angle whilefollowing the predefined walking pattern, controlling at least oneactuator associated with the access closure of the motor vehicle tolock, unlock, open or close the access closure in response to the objectmoving at the predefined angle while following the predefined walkingpattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram schematic of an embodiment of agesture access and object impact avoidance system for a motor vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram schematic of an embodiment of theobject detection module illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a simplified diagram depicting illumination of visible lightsin response to detection of an object entering the sensing region of theobject detection module of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3B is a simplified side elevational view of a portion of a motorvehicle having the object detection module of FIG. 2 mounted thereto anddepicting an example distance range of object detection by the module.

FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram depicting illumination of visible lightsin response to detection of an object in the sensing region of theobject detection module of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram depicting illumination of visible lightsby the object detection module of FIG. 2 in response to exhibition of apredefined gesture by the detected object.

FIG. 6A is a simplified block diagram schematic of another embodiment ofthe object detection module illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6B is a simplified side elevational view of a portion of a motorvehicle having the object detection module of FIG. 6A mounted theretoand depicting an example distance range of object detection by themodule.

FIG. 7 is a simplified block diagram schematic of yet another embodimentof the object detection module illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 a simplified block diagram schematic of a further embodiment ofthe object detection module illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a motor vehicle accessclosure release handle in which the object detection module of FIG. 2 orFIG. 6A may be embodied.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the motor vehicle access closure releasehandle of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the motor vehicle access closure releasehandle of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the motor vehicle access closurerelease handle of FIG. 9 as viewed along section lines A-A.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a motor vehicleaccess closure release handle in which the object detection module ofFIG. 2 or FIG. 6A may be embodied.

FIG. 14 is an exploded front perspective view of the motor vehicleaccess closure release handle of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is an exploded rear perspective view of the motor vehicle accessclosure release handle of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the motor vehicle access closurerelease handle of FIG. 13 as viewed along section lines B-B.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a motor vehicle accessclosure arrangement in which the object detection module of any of FIGS.2, 6A, 7 or 8 may be embodied.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a portion of the motor vehicleillustrated in FIG. 17 with the access closure removed to illustratemounting of the object detection module to a pillar of the motorvehicle.

FIG. 19 is a magnified view of the portion of the motor vehicle shown inFIG. 18 and illustrating an embodiment of a housing mounted to the motorvehicle pillar with one of the object detection modules of FIG. 2, 64, 7or 8 mounted within the housing.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the motor vehicle access closure shownin FIG. 17 illustrating an embodiment of a hand-engageable pocketdisposed along an inside edge of the access closure.

FIG. 21 is a magnified view of the pocket illustrated in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a simplified perspective view of an embodiment of a licenseplate bracket assembly in which the object detection module of any ofFIGS. 2, 6A 7 or 8 may be embodied, shown mounted to a rear portion of amotor vehicle.

FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective side view of the license platebracket assembly of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a perspective cutaway side view of the license plate bracketassembly of FIG. 22.

FIG. 25 is a perspective top view of the license plate bracket assemblyof FIG. 22 illustrating receipt of a license plate within a slot of theassembly.

FIG. 26 is a rear perspective view of the license plate bracket assemblyof FIG. 22.

FIG. 27 is a front perspective view of a back plate of the license platebracket assembly of FIG. 22.

FIG. 28 is a front perspective view of the license plate bracketassembly of FIG. 22.

FIG. 29 is a rear perspective view of a plate frame of the license platebracket assembly of FIG. 22.

FIG. 30 is a rear perspective view of a plurality of ribbon wires and ajumper board of the license plate bracket assembly of FIG. 22.

FIG. 31 is a simplified front perspective view of another embodiment ofa license plate bracket assembly.

FIG. 32 is a simplified side elevational view of a motor vehicleillustrating various locations on and about the motor vehicle at whichthe object detection module of any of FIGS. 2, 6A 7 or 8 may be mounted.

FIG. 33 is a simplified front perspective view of another motor vehicleillustrating various alternate or additional locations on and about themotor vehicle at which the object detection module of any of FIGS. 2, 6A7 or 8 may be mounted.

FIG. 34 is a simplified rear perspective view of yet another motorvehicle illustrating further alternate or additional locations on andabout the motor vehicle at which the object detection module of any ofFIGS. 2, 6A 7 or 8 may be mounted.

FIG. 35 is a simplified flowchart of an embodiment of a gesture accessprocess executable by one or more processors illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 36 is a simplified flowchart of an embodiment of a process forexecuting either of a gesture access process or an object impactavoidance process based upon the status of one or more vehicle sensorsand/or switches.

FIG. 37 is a simplified flowchart of another embodiment of a process forexecuting either of a gesture access process or an object impactavoidance process based upon the status of one or more vehicle sensorsand/or switches.

FIG. 38 is a simplified block diagram schematic of another embodiment ofa gesture access system for a motor vehicle.

FIG. 39 is a simplified top plan view of an example implementation ofthe gesture access system depicted in FIG. 38 in a motor vehicle.

FIG. 40 is a simplified block diagram schematic of an embodiment of theobject detection module illustrated in FIG. 38.

FIG. 41 is a simplified block diagram schematic of another embodiment ofthe object detection module illustrated in FIG. 38.

FIG. 42 is a simplified block diagram schematic of yet anotherembodiment of the object detection module illustrated in FIG. 38.

FIG. 43 is a simplified block diagram schematic of still anotherembodiment of the object detection module illustrated in FIG. 38.

FIG. 44 is a simplified flowchart of an embodiment of a process fordetermining by the vehicle control computer or the object detectionmodule whether a known mobile communicate device is withinultra-wideband communication range of the motor vehicle.

FIG. 45 is a simplified flowchart of an embodiment of a process forexecuting either of a gesture access process or an inactive mode basedupon the status of mobile communication device detection signalresulting from the process illustrated in FIG. 44.

FIG. 46 is a simplified flowchart of an embodiment of a gesture accessprocess activated by the process of FIG. 45.

FIG. 47 is a simplified block diagram schematic of another embodiment ofa gesture access system for a motor vehicle.

FIG. 48 is a simplified top plan view of an example implementation ofthe gesture access system depicted in FIG. 47 in a motor vehicle.

FIG. 49 is a simplified flowchart of an embodiment of a gesture accessprocess executable by one or more processors illustrated in FIG. 47.

FIG. 50 is a simplified flowchart of another embodiment of a gestureaccess process executable by one or more processors illustrated in FIG.47.

FIG. 51 is a simplified top plan view of a portion of the gesture accesssystem implementation of FIG. 39 or FIG. 48 illustrating anotherembodiment in which the motor vehicle includes one or more powereddoors.

FIG. 52 is a simplified diagram of an embodiment of one of the powermodules illustrated in FIG. 51 for controlling opening of a respectivepowered door.

FIG. 53 is a simplified flowchart of an embodiment of a process forselecting a door opening speed for opening one or more of the powereddoors illustrated in FIG. 51.

FIG. 54 is a simplified flowchart of an embodiment of a process forexecuting step 724, 984, 1032 or 114 of the respective process 700, 960,1010 and 1100 to include controlling opening speed of one or more of thepowered doors in the system illustrated FIGS. 1-8 and/or in FIG. 51based on object movement and position relative thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of thisdisclosure, reference will now be made to a number of illustrativeembodiments shown in the attached drawings and specific language will beused to describe the same.

This disclosure relates to object detection system mountable to orcarried by a motor vehicle in any of various locations at or about themotor vehicle. In some embodiments, the object detection system mayimplemented solely in the form of a hands-free vehicle access system. Insome such embodiments, one or more illumination devices may beimplemented to provide visual feedback of objects being detected. Inother embodiments, the object detection system may be implemented in theform of a combination hands-free vehicle access system and an objectimpact avoidance system. In such embodiments, the object detectionsystem operates in a hands-free vehicle access mode under someconditions and in an object impact avoidance mode under other operatingconditions.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of an object detection system 10is shown. The object detection system 10 illustratively includes anobject detection module 12 having at least one processor or controller14, at least one memory 16 and a communication circuit 18 for receivingvehicle access signals wirelessly transmitted by a transmitter 22 of akey fob 20. The object detection module 12 further illustrativelyincludes object detection circuitry, and various example embodiments ofsuch object detection circuitry will be described below with respect toFIGS. 2, 6A, 7 and 8.

In some embodiments, the object detection system 10 may include avehicle control computer 24 electrically connected to the objectdetection module 12 and having at least one processor or controller 26and at least one memory 28. In some embodiments, the vehicle controlcomputer 24 may include a communication circuit 30 for receiving thevehicle access signals wirelessly transmitted by the transmitter 22 ofthe key fob 20. In some embodiments, the communication circuit 18 of theobject detection module 12 and the communication circuit 30 of thevehicle control computer 24 may be configured to wirelessly communicatewith one another in a conventional manner so that the processors 14, 26may conduct information transfer wirelessly via the communicationcircuits 18, 30.

In some embodiments, the object detection system 10 may include one ormore actuator driver circuits 40 for controllably driving one or morecorresponding actuators 46. In some such embodiments, the one or moreactuator driver circuits 40 may include at least one processor orcontroller 42 and at least one memory 44 in addition to one or moreconventional driver circuits, although in other embodiments theprocessor or controller 42 and the memory 44 may be omitted. In someembodiments, one, some or all of the one or more driver circuits 40 maybe electrically connected to the vehicle control computer 24 so that theprocessor or controller 26 of the vehicle control computer 24 maycontrol the operation of one or more actuators 46 via control of suchone or more driver circuits 40. Alternatively or additionally, at leastone, some or all of the one or more driver circuits 40 may beelectrically connected to the object detection module 12 as illustratedby dashed-line connection in FIG. 1, so that the processor or controller14 of the object detection module 12 may control operation of one ormore actuators 46 via control of such one or more driver circuits 40. Inany case, the one or more actuators 46 are operatively coupled to one ormore conventional, actuatable devices, mechanisms and/or systems 48.Examples of such actuators and actuatable devices, mechanisms and/orsystems may include, but are not limited to, one or more electronicallycontrollable motor vehicle access closure locks or locking systems, oneor more electronically controllable motor vehicle access closure latchesor latching systems, an automatic (i.e., electronically controllable)engine ignition system, an automatic (i.e., electronically controllable)motor vehicle braking system, an automatic (i.e., electronicallycontrollable) motor vehicle steering system, an automated (i.e.,electronically controllable) motor vehicle driving system (e.g.,“self-driving” or “autonomous driving” system), and the like.

In some embodiments, the object detection system 10 may include one ormore conventional vehicle operating parameter sensors, sensing systemsand/or switches 50 carried by the motor vehicle and electricallyconnected to, or otherwise communicatively coupled to, the vehiclecontrol computer 24. Examples of such vehicle operating parametersensors, sensing systems and/or switches 50 may include, but are notlimited to, an engine ignition sensor or sensing system, a vehicle speedsensor or sensing system, a transmission gear selector position sensor,sensing system or switch, a transmission gear position sensor, sensingsystem or switch, and the like.

In some embodiments, the object detection system 10 may include one ormore conventional audio and/or illumination device driver circuits 60for controllably driving one or more corresponding audio (or audible)devices and/or one or more illumination devices 66. In some suchembodiments, the one or more audio and/or illumination device drivercircuits 60 may include at least one processor or controller 62 and atleast one memory 64 in addition to one or more conventional drivercircuits, although in other embodiments the processor or controller 62and the memory 64 may be omitted. In some embodiments, one, some or allof the one or more driver circuits 60 may be electrically connected tothe vehicle control computer 24 so that the processor or controller 26of the vehicle control computer 24 may control the operation of one ormore audio and/or illumination devices 66 via control of such one ormore driver circuits 60. Alternatively or additionally, at least one,some or all of the one or more driver circuits 60 may be electricallyconnected to the object detection module 12 as illustrated bydashed-line connection in FIG. 1, so that the processor or controller 14of the object detection module 12 may control operation of one or moreof the audio and/or illumination devices 66 via control of such one ormore driver circuits 60. In any case, examples of such audio devices mayinclude, but are not limited to, one or more electronically controllableaudible warning device or systems, one or more electronicallycontrollable audio notification devices or systems, one or moreelectronically controllable audio voice messaging devices or systems,one or more electrically controllable motor vehicle horns, and the like.Examples of such illumination devices may include, but are not limitedto, one or more exterior motor vehicle illumination devices, one or moreinterior motor vehicle illumination devices, one or more warningillumination devices, and the like, e.g., in the form of one or anycombination of one or more conventional illumination sources configuredto produce light visible from outside the motor vehicle, one or moredevices configured to produce illuminated graphics, one or moreconventional devices configured to project visible light or illuminatedgraphics onto a surface, e.g., the ground or paved surface, supportingthe motor vehicle, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 2, one example embodiment 12 ₁ is shown of theobject detection module 12 illustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustratedembodiment, the object detection module 12 ₁ includes a radiationemission and detection assembly 100 electrically connected to the atleast one processor or controller 14 ₁ via a number M of signal paths,wherein M may be any positive integer. The radiation emission anddetection assembly 100 illustratively includes a plurality of radiationtransmitters 102 in the form of an array of two or more infraredlight-emitting diodes (“IR LEDs”), and a plurality of radiationdetectors 104 in the form of an array of two or more infrared lightsensors (“IR sensors”). The IR LEDs 102 are conventional and areconfigured to be responsive to control signals produced by the processoror controller 14 ₁ to emit radiation outwardly from the assembly 100.The IR sensors 104 are likewise conventional and are configured toproduce radiation detection signals. The radiation detection signalsproduced by the IR sensors 104 illustratively include reflectedradiation signals if the emitted radiation is reflected by an object ina sensing region of the IR sensors 104, in accordance with a timesequence in which one or more of the IR LEDs 102 is activated to emitradiation and at least a portion of such emitted radiation is reflectedby the object toward and detected by at least one of the IR sensors 104.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the plurality of IR LEDs 102and the plurality of IR sensors 104 are arranged in pairs with each IRLED 102 emitting the IR radiation for detection by an associated IRsensor 104 paired therewith. In some such embodiments, an array of IRLEDs 102 and an array of IR sensors 104 of the radiation emission anddetection assembly 100 may be provided together in the form of apreformed IR sensor module. In alternate embodiments, the plurality ofIR LEDs 102 may be provided in the form of a preformed IR LED array. Insome such embodiments, the plurality of IR sensors 104 may be providedindividually and in other embodiments the plurality of IR sensors 104may be provided in the form of an IR sensor array separate from the IRLED array. In still other alternate embodiments, the plurality of IRsensors 104 may be provided in the form of a preformed IR sensor array,and the plurality of IR LEDs 102 may be provided individually or in theform of an IR LED array. In embodiments in which the plurality of IRLEDs 102 is provided in the form of an array, such an array may bearranged linearly, e.g., in a continuous row. Likewise, in embodimentsin which the plurality of IR sensors 104 is provided in the form of anarray of IR sensors, such an array may be arrange linearly, e.g., in acontinuous row. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 for example, theIR LEDs 102 and the IR sensors 104 are both arranged in the form oflinear arrays. In alternate embodiments in which the plurality of IRLEDs 102 is provide in the form of an array, and/or in which theplurality of IR sensors 104 is provided in the form of an array, eitheror both such arrays may be arranged non-linearly and/ornon-continuously, e.g., in groups of two or more spaced apart LEDsand/or sensors.

Radiation emission and detection assemblies 100 are conventionallyassociated with processors or controllers 14 ₁ as depicted in FIG. 2,and at least one associated memory 16 ₁ includes conventionalinstructions which, when executed by the processor or controller 14 ₁,cause the processor or controller 14 ₁ to determine from the IR sensor104 such things as, without limitation, (a) when an object has beendetected in a sensing region of the sensors 104 IR, (b) whether theobject is of a predetermined type, and (c) whether the object has movedwithin the sensing region. Examples of known IR detector systems aredisclosed in US Patent Application Publication 20120200486, US PatentApplication Publication 20150069249, US Patent Application Publication20120312956, and US Patent Application Publication 20150248796, thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

In some embodiments, the IR LEDs 102 and IR sensors 104 illustrativelytake the form of an IR sensor module available from NEONODE, INC. (SanJose, Calif.). The modules typically contain multiple pairs of IRemitter LEDs 102 and IR sensors 104 for receiving reflected IRradiation. Such modules typically have a range of about 200 millimeters(mm) of off-surface detection and arranging IR LEDs 102 and the IRsensors 104 in pairs permits a higher resolution of detection. Forinstance, the assembly 100 of IR LEDs 102 and IR sensors 104 is capableof detecting the difference between a single finger and multiplefingers. As a result, the assembly 100 of IR LEDs 102 and IR sensors 104is capable of detecting gesturing by a user's hand, for instance.

The embodiment of the object detection module 12 ₁ illustrated in FIG. 2further includes a plurality of illumination devices 112. In someembodiments, the illumination devices 112 are spaced apart at leastpartially across the sensing region of the IR sensors 104, and in otherembodiments one or more of the illumination devices 112 may bepositioned remotely from the sensing region. In some embodiments, theillumination devices 112 may be arranged in the form of a linear ornon-linear array 110 of equally or non-equally spaced-apart illuminationdevices. In some embodiments, the plurality of illumination devicesinclude at least one LED configured to emit radiation in the visiblespectrum. In such embodiments, the at least one LED may be configured toproduce visible light in a single color or in multiple colors. Inalternate embodiments, the plurality of illumination sources may includeone or more conventional non-LED illumination sources.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the plurality of illuminationdevices 112 is provided in the form of an array 110 of visible lightLEDs equal in number to the number of IR LEDs 102 and arranged such thateach visible light LED 112 is co-extensive with a respective one of theplurality of IR LEDs 102 paired with a corresponding IR sensor 104. Inthe illustrated embodiment, each visible light LED 112 is positionedadjacent to and above a respective one of the plurality of IR LEDs 102which is itself positioned adjacent to and above a respective paired oneof the IR sensors 104. In alternate embodiments, the visible light LEDs112, the IR LEDs 102 and the IR sensors 104 may be positioned in anyorder relative to one another and arranged horizontally, as shown inFIG. 2, vertically, diagonally or non-linearly. In some alternateembodiments, more or fewer visible light LEDs 112 than the IR LEDs 102and/or the IR sensors 104 may be provided.

The one or more illumination devices 112 is/are illustratively includedto provide visual feedback of one or more conditions relating todetection by the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 of anobject within a sensing region of the assembly 100. In one exampleembodiment, two illumination devices 112 may be provided for producingthe desired visual feedback. In one implementation of this exampleembodiment, a first one of the illumination devices 112 may beconfigured and controlled to illuminate with a first color to visiblyindicate the detected presence by the radiation emission and detectionassembly 100 of an object within the sensing region, and the secondillumination device 112 may be configured and controlled to illuminatewith a second color, different from the first, to visibly indicate thatthe detected object exhibits a predefined gesture. In another exampleembodiment, three illumination devices 112 may be provided. In thisembodiment, a first one of the illumination devices 112 may becontrolled to illuminate with a first color to visibly indicate thedetected presence of an object within an area of the sensing region inwhich the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 is unabledetermine whether the detected object exhibits a predefined gesture(e.g., the object may be within a sub-region of the sensing region whichis too small to allow determination of whether the object exhibits thepredefined gesture), a second one of the illumination devices 112 iscontrolled to illuminate with a second color to visibly indicate thedetected presence of an object within an area of the sensing region inwhich the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 is able todetermine whether the detected object exhibits a predefined gesture, anda third one of the illumination devices is controlled to illuminate witha third color to visibly indicate that the object within the sensingregion is detected by the radiation emission and detection assembly 100as exhibiting a predefined gesture.

In other embodiments, the one or more illumination devices 112 mayinclude any number of illumination devices 10. Multiple illuminationdevices 112, for example, may be illuminated in one or more colors toprovide a desired visual feedback. In any such embodiments, in one ormore illumination devices 112 may be LEDs, and one or more such LEDs mayillustratively be provided in the form of RGB LEDs capable ofillumination in more than one color. According to this variant, it willbe appreciated that positive visual indication of various modes ofoperation of the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 may becarried out in numerous different colors, with each such colorindicative of a different state of operation of the object detectionmodule 12 ₁. As one non-limiting example, the color red may serve toindicate that the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 hasdetected an object (e.g., a hand or foot) within the sensing region, butis unable to determine whether the detected object is exhibiting apredefined gesture. The color green, in contrast, may serve to indicatethat the detected object is exhibiting a predefined gesture and,consequently, that the predefined vehicle command associated with thatpredefined gesture (e.g., unlocking the vehicle closure, opening thevehicle closure, etc.) is being effected. In addition to green, othercolors might be uniquely associated with different predefined commands.Thus, while green illumination might reflect that a closure for thevehicle is being unlocked, blue illumination, for example, may reflectthat a fuel door latch has been opened, purple illumination may reflectthat a window is being opened, etc.

In still other embodiments, in addition to or alternatively to colordistinction, different operating modes, i.e., different detection modes,of the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 may be visuallydistinguished from one another by controlling the at least oneillumination device 112 to switch on and off with different respectivefrequencies and/or duty cycles. In some embodiments which includemultiple illumination devices 112, the different operating modes of theradiation emission and detection assembly 100 may be additionally oralternatively distinguished visually from one another by activatingdifferent subsets of the multiple illumination devices 112 for differentoperating or detection modes, and/or by sequentially activating themultiple illumination devices 112 or subsets thereof with differentrespective activation frequencies and/or duty cycles.

The object detection module 12 ₁ further illustratively includes anumber N of conventional supporting circuits (SC) and conventionaldriver circuits (DC) 114 ₁-114 _(N), wherein N may be any positiveinteger. The supporting circuit(s) (SC) is/are each electricallyconnected to the processor or controller 14 ₁, and may include one ormore conventional circuits configured to support the operation of theprocessor or controller 14 ₁ and/or other electrical circuits and/orcomponents of the object detection module 12 ₁. Example supportingcircuits may include, but are not limited to, one or more voltage supplyregulation circuits, one or more capacitors, one or more resistors, oneor more inductors, one or more oscillator circuits, and the like. Thedriver circuit(s) (DC) include one or more inputs electrically connectedto the processor or controller 14 ₁ and one or more outputs electricallyconnected to the one or more illumination devices 112 and the pluralityof IR LEDs 104. The driver circuit(s) DC is/are conventional and is/areconfigured to be responsive to one or more control signals supplied bythe processor or controller 14 ₁ to selectively drive, i.e., activateand deactivate, the plurality of IR LEDs 102 and the one or moreillumination devices 112.

It will be understood that the terms “processor” and “controller” usedin this disclosure is comprehensive of any computer, processor,microchip processor, integrated circuit, or any other element(s),whether singly or in multiple parts, capable of carrying programming forperforming the functions specified in the claims and this writtendescription. The at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ may be asingle such element which is resident on a printed circuit board withthe other elements of the inventive access system. It may,alternatively, reside remotely from the other elements of the system.For example, but without limitation, the at least one processor orcontroller 14 ₁ may take the form of a physical processor or controlleron-board the object detection module 12 ₁. Alternately or additionally,the at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ may be or includeprogramming in the at least one processor or controller 26 of thevehicle control computer 24 illustrated in FIG. 1. Alternatively oradditionally still, the at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ may beor include programming in the at least one processor or controller 42 ofthe actuator driver circuit(s) 40 and/or in the at least one processoror controller 62 of the audio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60and/or in at least one processor or controller residing in any locationwithin the motor vehicle in which the system 10 is located. Forinstance, and without limitation, it is contemplated that one or moreoperations associated with one or more functions of the object detectionmodule 12 ₁ described herein may be carried out, i.e., executed, by afirst microprocessor and/or other control circuit(s) on-board the objectdetection module 12 ₁, while one or more operations associated with oneor more other functions of the object detection module 12 ₁ describedherein may be carried out, i.e., executed, by a second microprocessorand/or other circuit(s) remote from the object detection module 12 ₁,e.g., such as the processor or controller 26 on-board the vehiclecontrol computer 24.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the IR LEDs 102, the IR sensors104, the illumination devices 112, the at least one processor orcontroller 14 ₁ and the supporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) areall mounted to a conventional circuit substrate 116 which is mountedwithin a housing 118. In some such embodiments, the IR LEDs 102, IRsensors 104 and visible LEDs 112 may be combined and provided in theform of a radiation assembly or module 120 mounted to the circuitsubstrate 116 as illustrated by example in FIG. 2. In alternateembodiments, the circuit substrate 116 may be provided in the form oftwo or more separate circuit substrates, and in such embodiments one ormore of the IR LEDs 102, the IR sensors 104, the illumination devices112, the at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ and thesupporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) may be mounted to a first oneof the two or more circuit substrates and remaining one(s) of the one ormore of the IR LEDs 102, the IR sensors 104, the illumination devices112, the at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ and thesupporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) may be mounted to other(s) ofthe two or more circuit substrates. In some such embodiments, all suchcircuit substrates may be mounted to and/or within a single housing 118,and in other embodiments at least one of the two or more of the circuitsubstrates may be mounted to and/or within the housing 118 and one ormore others of the two or more circuit substrates may be mounted to orwithin one or more other housings. In embodiments which the objectdetection module 12 ₁ includes multiple housings, two or more suchhousings may be mounted to the motor vehicle at or near a singlelocation, and in other embodiments at least one of the multiple housingsmay be mounted to the motor vehicle at a first location and at leastanother of the multiple housings may be mounted to the motor vehicle ata second location remote from the first location. As one non-limitingexample, at least the plurality of IR LEDs 102 and the plurality of IRsensors 104 may be mounted to or within a first housing mounted to themotor vehicle at a first location suitable for detection of one or morespecific objects, and at least the one or more illumination devices maybe mounted to or within a second housing mounted to the motor vehicle ata second location suitable for viewing by one or more users and/oroperators of the motor vehicle.

In one embodiment, electrical power for the object detection module 12,the vehicle control computer 24, the actuator driver circuit(s) 40, theactuator(s) 46, the audio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60 andthe audio/illumination device(s) 66 is illustratively provided by aconventional electrical power source and/or system on-board the motorvehicle. In alternate embodiments, electrical power for the objectdetection module 12, the actuator driver circuit(s) 40, the actuator(s)46, the audio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60 and/or theaudio/illumination device(s) 66 may be provided by one or more localpower sources, e.g., one or more batteries, on-board the associatedmodule(s), circuit(s) and/or device(s).

Referring now to FIGS. 3A-5, the radiation emission and detectionassembly 100 is illustratively operable, under control of the processoror controller 14 ₁, to detect an object OB within a sensing region R(depicted schematically in dashed lines in FIGS. 3A-5) of the assembly100, and to provide corresponding object detection signals to theprocessor or controller 14 ₁. In some embodiments, the processor orcontroller 14 ₁ is, in turn, operable, e.g., by executing correspondinginstructions stored in the memory 16 ₁, to (1) determine from the objectdetection signals whether the object OB is within the sensing region R,(2) determine whether the object OB detected as being within the sensingregion R exhibits a predefined gesture, and (3) if the detected objectOB exhibits a predefined gesture, to (i) control the illuminationdevices 112 to selectively illuminate one or more of the illuminationdevices 112 to visibly indicate detection of the predefined gesture, and(ii) control, via the actuator control driver circuit(s), at least oneof the actuators 46 associated with an access closure of the motorvehicle to lock or unlock the access closure and/or to open or close theaccess closure.

In some embodiments, the processor or controller 14 ₁ is operable upondetection of the object OB within the sensing region R to selectivelyilluminate the at least one illumination device 112 in a manner whichvisibly indicates the detected presence of the object OB within thesensing region R. In some such embodiments, the processor or controller14 ₁ is operable upon detection of the object OB within the sensingregion to selectively illuminate the at least one illumination device ina manner which indicates that the object OB is within a sub-region ofthe sensing region R that is too small to make a determination ofwhether the object OB exhibits the predefined gesture, and is operableto selectively illuminate the at least one illumination device in amanner which indicates that the object OB is within a sub-region of thesensing region R in which a determination can be made of whether theobject OB exhibits the predefined gesture. In embodiments in which theat least one illumination device 112 is provided in the form of an array110 of illumination devices spaced apart at least partially across thesensing region R, the processor or controller 14 ₁ is illustrativelyoperable to selectively illuminate illumination devices 112 in the array10 in a manner which correlates the location of the detected object OBwithin the sensing region R to a corresponding location or region alongthe illumination device array 110. In any case, the memory 16illustratively has instructions stored therein which, when executed bythe processor 14 ₁, causes the processor 14 ₁ to carry out the functionsdescribed below. It will be understood that in other embodiments, suchinstructions may be stored, in whole or in part, in one or more othermemory units within the system 10 and/or may be executed, in whole or inpart, by one or more other processors and/or controllers within thesystem 10.

In a first example state of operation illustrated in FIG. 3A, an objectOB—in this example, a user's hand, foot or other object that is part ofor controlled by the user-has entered the sensing region R of theradiation emission and detection assembly 100. Due to limitations of theassembly 100, however, the object is insufficiently positioned withinthe sensing region R, and/or is positioned within a sub-region sensingregion R that is too small, for the assembly 100 to be able to determineif and when the object OB exhibits a predefined gesture. As a result,the processor or controller 14 ₁ is operable to control the illuminationdriver circuits DC to activate at least one of the illumination devices112—in this example, the illumination devices 112′, 112′ proximate theIR LED/sensor pairs which detected the object OB—with a first color tovisually indicate to the user that the object OB has been detectedwithin a sub-region of the sensing region R, but is insufficientlypositioned in the sensing region R such that the sub-region R is toosmall to enable to the assembly 100 to determine whether the object OBexhibits a predefined gesture. In this example, the applicableillumination devices 112′ are controlled to illuminate with the colorred. Illustratively, red serves as a generally universal indicator ofwarning and so is appropriate as a visual indicator to the user that theobject OB is insufficiently positioned in the sensing region R. As notedabove, however, one or more other colors may alternatively be employedas desired. Alternatively or additionally still, one or more of theillumination devices 112′ (or 112 generally) may be controlled inanother visually distinctive manner to provide the visual indicator thatthe object OB is insufficiently positioned in the sensing region R suchthat the sub-region R is too small to enable to the assembly 100 todetermine whether the object OB exhibits a predefined gesture, e.g.,sequentially activating and deactivating the illumination devices 112′(or one or more of the illumination devices 112 generally) with apredefined frequency, activating and deactivating one or more of theillumination devices 112′ (or one or more of the illumination devices112 generally) with a predefined frequency and/or duty cycle, and/oractivating in any manner only a subset of the illumination devices 112′(or one or more of the illumination devices 112 generally).

As illustrated by example in FIG. 3B, the object OB is detectable withina distance D1 of the assembly 100, where D1 defines a maximum axialsensing region R; that is, a maximum distance away from the assembly 100at which the object OB is horizontally and vertically aligned with theassembly 100, i.e., directly opposite the assembly 100. As brieflydescribed above, the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 madeup of multiple IR LEDs 102 and IR sensors 104 illustratively has a rangeof about 200 millimeters (mm) of off-surface detection, and D1 is thusapproximately equal to 200 mm. It is to be understood, however, that theobject OB is also detectable by the assembly distances less than D1 atleast partially off-axis vertically and/or horizontally relative to theassembly 100.

In a second example state of operation illustrated in FIG. 4, the objectOB is positioned centrally within the sensing region R. In some cases,the user may have initially positioned the object OB in the locationillustrated in FIG. 4, and in other cases the user may have moved theobject OB to the location illustrated in FIG. 4 in response to visualfeedback provided by illumination of one or more of the illuminationdevices 112, such as depicted in the example of FIG. 3A. In any case, inthe position illustrated in FIG. 4, the object OB is sufficiently in thesensing region and/or otherwise within a sub-region of the sensingregion R in which the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 iscapable of detecting whether and when the object OB exhibits apredefined gesture. As a result, the processor or controller 14 ₁ isoperable to control the illumination driver circuits DC to activate atleast one of the illumination devices 112—in this example, theillumination devices 112″ proximate the IR LED/sensor pairs whichdetected the object OB—with a second color to visually indicate to theuser that the object OB is detected within the sensing region R and iswithin a sub-region thereof in which the processor or controller 14 ₁ iscapable of determining whether the object OB exhibits a predefinedgesture.

In this example, the illumination devices 112″ are illuminated in thecolor amber (or yellow or gold), which serves as a visual feedbackindication that the object OB is positioned within the sensing region Rsuch that any subsequent gestures made by the object OB can berecognized by the processor or controller 14 ₁ as a predefined gestureor any of multiple different predefined gestures. As noted above,however, one or more other colors may alternatively be employed asdesired. Alternatively or additionally still, one or more of theillumination devices 112″ (or one or more of the illumination devices112 generally) may be controlled in another visually distinctive mannerto provide the visual indication that the object OB is positioned withinthe sensing region R such that any subsequent gestures made by theobject OB can be recognized by the processor or controller 14 ₁ as apredefined gesture or any of multiple different predefined gestures,e.g., sequentially activating and deactivating the illumination devices112′ (or one or more illumination devices 112 generally) with apredefined frequency, activating and deactivating one or more of theillumination devices 112′ (or one or more illumination devices 112generally) with a predefined frequency and/or duty cycle, and/oractivating in any manner only a subset of the illumination devices 112′(or any subset of the illumination devices 112 generally).

In a third example state of operation illustrated in FIG. 5, the objectOB positioned centrally within the sensing region R (e.g., see FIG. 4)has exhibited a predefined gesture which has been detected by theassembly 100 and determined by the processor or controller 14 ₁ ascorrespond to a predefined gesture. As a result, the processor orcontroller 14 ₁ is operable to control the illumination driver circuitsDC to activate at least one of the illumination devices 112—in thisexample, the illumination devices 112′″ proximate the IR LED/sensorpairs which detected the object OB (e.g., the same illumination devices112″ illuminated in FIG. 4)—with a third color to visually indicate tothe user that the detected object OB has exhibited a predefined gesture.Illumination in this instance is in the color green, whichillustratively serves as a generally universal indicator of acceptanceand so is appropriate as a visual indicator to the user that the gesturehas been recognized. As noted above, however, one or more other colorsmay alternatively be employed as desired. Alternatively or additionallystill, one or more of the illumination devices 112′″ (or one or more ofthe illumination devices 112 generally) may be controlled in anothervisually distinctive manner to provide the visual indication that theobject OB positioned within the sensing region R has exhibited apredefined gesture, e.g., sequentially activating and deactivating theillumination devices 112′″ (or one or more illumination devices 112generally) with a predefined frequency, activating and deactivating oneor more of the illumination devices 112′″ (or one or more illuminationdevices 112 generally) with a predefined frequency and/or duty cycle,and/or activating in any manner only a subset of the illuminationdevices 112′″ (or any subset of the illumination devices 112 generally).In any case, the processor or controller 14 ₁ is further responsive todetection of the predefined gesture to control at least one of theactuator control driver circuit(s) 40 to control at least one of theactuators 46 associated with an access closure of the motor vehicle,e.g., to lock or unlock the access closure and/or to open or close theaccess closure.

The memory 16 illustratively has stored therein a vehicle accesscondition value which represents the predefined gesture. In alternateembodiments, the vehicle access condition value may be stored in one ormore of the memory 16, the memory 28, the memory 44 and the memory 64.In some embodiments, the vehicle access condition value isillustratively stored in the form of a predefined set or sequence ofvalues, and the processor 14 ₁ is illustratively operable to process thesignal(s) produced by the assembly 100 to convert such signals to adetected set or sequence of values, to then compare the detected set orsequence of values to the stored, predefined set or sequence of valuesand to then determine that the predefined gesture has been exhibited anddetected by the assembly 100 if the detected set or sequence of valuesmatches the vehicle access condition value in the form of the stored,predefined set or sequence of values. In some such embodiments, theobject detection module 12 ₁ may have a “learning” mode of operation inwhich the predefined gesture may be programmed by exhibiting thepredefined gesture within the sensing region R of the assembly 100, thenconverting the signals produced by the assembly 100 in response to theexhibited gesture to a learned set or sequence of values, and thenstoring the learned set or sequence of values as the predefined set ofsequence or values corresponding to the predefined gesture. In someembodiments, two or more different vehicle access condition values maybe stored in the memory 16 (and/or any of the memories 28, 44 and 64)each corresponding to a different one of two or more correspondingpredefined gestures, and the processor 14 ₁ may be operable to comparedetected sets or sequences of values produced by the assembly 100 toeach of the two or more different stored vehicle access condition valuesto determine whether one of the two or more predefined gestures has beenexhibited. In some such embodiments, each of the multiple predefinedgestures may be associated with a different user of the motor vehicle,and in other such embodiments any single user may have two or morepredefined gestures store in the memory 14 ₁.

In some embodiments, the processor or controller 14 ₁ may be responsiveto (i) detection of the object OB within a sub-region of the sensingregion R but insufficiently positioned in the sensing region R such thatthe sub-region R is too small to enable to the assembly 100 to determinewhether the object OB exhibits a predefined gesture, (ii) detection ofthe object OB positioned within the sensing region R such that anysubsequent gestures made by the object OB can be recognized by theprocessor or controller 14 ₁ as a predefined gesture or any of multipledifferent predefined gestures, and/or (iii) detection of the predefinedgesture, to control at least one of the audio/illumination device drivercircuits 60 to activate one or more respective audio and/or illuminationdevices 66 in addition to the one or more illumination devices 112 or ininstead of the one or more illumination devices 112.

While the foregoing example illustrates the selective illumination ofseveral of the illumination devices 112 simultaneously, it will beappreciated that the number of lights illuminated in any given situationmay vary depending on the type of feedback desired, the number and/ortype of illumination devices 112 being employed in the system, etc.Likewise, although one or more of the illumination devices 112 mayactivated with one or more colors and/or be activated and deactivated,i.e., switched on and off, to provide visual feedback of the position ofthe object OB, one or more illumination devices 112 may alternatively beactivated (and deactivated) in any manner which visually directs, e.g.,coaxes, the user to move the object OB is a particular direction and/orto a particular position relative to the assembly 100.

In one embodiment, the at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ isillustratively operable, upon determining from the radiation emissionand detection assembly 100 that a predefined gesture has been exhibitedby an object OB within the sensing region R of the assembly 100, tocommunicate instructions to the vehicle control computer 24 to effectthe desired operation (e.g., to unlock or lock a closure—such as a door,rear hatch, tailgate, etc., to open a closure—such as a rear hatch,tailgate, etc. and/or to activate, i.e., turn on, one or more interiorand/or exterior vehicle illumination devices). In some alternateembodiments, the at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ may beoperable, upon such determination, to control one or more actuatordriver circuits 40 and/or one or more audio/illumination device drivercircuits 60 directly to effect the desired operation. In other alternateembodiments, the at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ may beoperable, upon such determination, to communicate instructions to thevehicle to one or more other processors or controllers, e.g., the atleast one processor or controller 42 and/or the at least one processoror controller 62, to effect the desired operation. In still otheralternate embodiments, the at least one processor or controller 14 ₁ maybe operable, upon such determination, to effect the desired operation inpart and to instruct one or more other processors or controllers, e.g.,26, 42, 62, to also effect the desired operation in part.

In some embodiments, one or more aspects of the gesture access processdescribed above and illustrated by example with respect to FIGS. 3A-5may be implemented in combination with, or integrated with, one or moreexisting vehicle access devices, techniques or processes. Onenon-limiting example of such an existing vehicle access device,technique and process is a conventional intelligent “key fob”-typeremote used in PES-type access systems. Such access systems maytypically operate in a conventional manner by issuing a short-range“challenge” signal to a “key fob” remote 20 carried by a user. If the“key fob” remote 20 is one that is authorized for the vehicle, the“challenge” response from the remote 20 results in the vehicle controlcomputer 24 being placed in a mode where it will accept subsequent“commands” from the remote 20, such as unlocking or locking the vehicle,unlatching the trunk or rear hatch, or the like. The gesture accessprocess described above and illustrated by example with respect to FIGS.3A-5 may operatively interface with the vehicle control computer 24 soas to permit execution of the gesture access process by the processor orcontroller 14 ₁ only in circumstances when an authorized user seeks touse the system, e.g., such as when the user conveying gesture accessmovements to the radiation emission and detection assembly 100 is alsocarrying a key fob remote 20 or other remote device, e.g., a smart phoneor other mobile device, which may communicate with the vehicle controlcomputer 24 to allow the user to access the vehicle using predefinedgesture access movements. Alternatively, the object detection module 12₁ may further include the necessary components to enable independentauthentication of the user; that is, the electronics, hardware, firmwareand/or software necessary to issue a challenge signal and to receive andevaluate the response from a user's key fob 20 and/or to otherwisecommunicate with one or more other mobile electronic devices 20 carriedby the user for purposes of authenticating the user for subsequentrecognition by the combination of the radiation emission and detectionassembly 100 and the processor or controller 14 ₁ of a predefinedgesture movement carried out by the user.

In embodiments in which the gesture access process illustrated byexample in FIGS. 3A-5 and descried above is permitted only incircumstances when an authorized user seeks to use the system, e.g.,such as when the user conveying gesture access movements to theradiation emission and detection assembly 100 is also carrying a key fobremote 20 or other such remote device, the memory 16 ₁ illustrativelyhas a key fob code stored therein, and the processor or controller 14 ₁is illustratively operable to receive a key fob signal(s) wirelesslytransmitted by a key fob or other such remote device 20 within a key fobsignal detection area of the motor vehicle, to determine a code based onthe received key fob signal and to activate the IR LED(s) 102 andprocess the radiation detection signals detected by the IR sensor(s) 104only if the determined code matches the stored key fob code.Illustratively, the key fob signal detection area is defined by atransmission/detection range of the key fob or other such remote device20, which may typically be up to about 20-30 yards (or more). In somesuch embodiments, the key fob code is illustratively associated in thememory 16 ₁ with a vehicle access condition value, corresponding to apredefined gesture, also stored in the memory 16 ₁, and in suchembodiments the processor or controller 14 ₁ is illustratively operableto process the radiation detection signals produced by the assembly 100as described above and actuate a corresponding one of the actuators 46only if the object OB in the sensing region R of the assembly 100exhibits the predefined gesture corresponding to the vehicle accesscondition value associated in the memory 16 ₁ with the stored key fobcode. In embodiments in which multiple key fob codes are stored in thememory 16 ₁, each such stored key fob code is illustratively associatedin the memory 16 ₁ with a different vehicle access condition valuemapped to or associated with a different corresponding predefinedgesture. In such embodiments, the processor or controller 14 ₁ isillustratively operable to activate one or more of the actuators 46, asdescribed above, only upon detection of a key fob code which matches oneof the multiple stored key fob codes, followed by detection by theassembly 100 of a gesture exhibited within the sensing region R whichmatches the predefined gesture mapped to or associated with the vehicleaccess condition value associated in the memory with the matching keyfob code.

Referring now to FIG. 6A, another example embodiment 12 ₂ is shown ofthe object detection module 12 illustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustratedembodiment, the object detection module 12 ₂ includes a radiationemission and detection assembly 130 electrically connected to the atleast one processor or controller 142 via a number Q of signal paths,wherein Q may be any positive integer. The radiation emission anddetection assembly 130 illustratively includes at least one radiationtransmitter 132 in the form of a radar transmitter, and a plurality ofradiation detectors 134 in the form of an array of two or more radardetectors. In some embodiments, a single radar transmitter 132 ispositioned adjacent to or proximate to the plurality of radar detectors134, and in other embodiments two or more radar transmitters 132 may bepositioned adjacent to or proximate to the plurality of radar detectorsas illustrated by dashed-line representation in FIG. 6A. In otherembodiments, the one or more radar transmitters 132 may be spaced apartfrom the plurality of radar detectors 134.

The at least one radar transmitter 132 is illustratively conventional,and is configured to be responsive to control signals produced by theprocessor or controller 14 ₁ to emit radio frequency (RF) radiationoutwardly from the assembly 100. In one embodiment, the at least oneradar transmitter 132 is configured to emit radiation in the so-calledshort-range-radar (SRR) band, e.g., at and around 24 gigahertz (GHz).Alternatively or additionally, the at least one radar transmitter 132may be configured to emit radiation in the so-called long-range-radar(LRR) band, e.g., at and around 77 GHz. It will be understood, however,that these numerical frequency ranges are provided only by way ofexample, and that the at least one radar transmitter 132 may bealternatively or additionally configured to emit radiation at radarfrequencies less than 1 GHz and up to or greater than 300 GHz. In anycase, each of the plurality of radar detectors 134 is configured todetect radar signals in frequency range(s) corresponding to that/thoseof the at least one radar transmitter 132, and to produce radiationdetection signals corresponding thereto.

The radiation detection signals produced by the radar detectors 134illustratively include reflected radar signals if the emitted radiationis reflected by an object in a sensing region of the assembly 130, inaccordance with a conventional time sequence in which the at least oneradar transmitter 132 is activated to emit radiation and at least aportion of such emitted radiation is reflected by the object toward anddetected by at least one of the radar detectors 134. As illustrated byexample in FIG. 6B, an object OBJ is detectable within a distance D2 ofthe assembly 130, where D2 defines a maximum axial sensing region; thatis, a maximum distance away from the assembly 130 at which the object OBis horizontally and vertically aligned with the assembly 130, i.e.,directly opposite the assembly 130. Within this distance D2, radarsignals 133 emitted by the at least one radar transmitter 132 propagateoutwardly away from the assembly 130 and from the motor vehicle MV, andat least a portion of such signals 133 which strike the object OBJ arereflected by the object OBJ back toward the assembly 130 in the form ofreflected radar signals 135 which are detected by one or more of theplurality of radar detectors 134. The distance D2 between the assembly130 mounted to the motor vehicle MV and a detectable object isillustratively several meters, and in some embodiments D2 may be greaterthan several meters. It is to be understood, however, that the objectOBJ is also detectable by the assembly 130 at distances less than D2 andat least partially off-axis vertically and/or horizontally relative tothe assembly 130.

Referring again to FIG. 6A, the illustrated object detection module 12 ₂is illustratively otherwise identical in structure and operation to theobject detection module 12 ₁ illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 and describedabove. For example, the object detection module 12 ₂ furtherillustratively includes a plurality of illumination devices 112 whichmay (or may not) be arranged in the form of a linear or non-linear array110 of equally or non-equally spaced-apart illumination devices asillustrated in FIG. 6A. The plurality of illumination devices 112 areillustratively as described above with respect to FIG. 2. As anotherexample, the object detection module 12 ₂ further illustrativelyincludes a number R of conventional supporting circuits (SC) andconventional driver circuits (DC) 114 ₁-114 _(R), wherein R may be anypositive integer. The supporting circuit(s) (SC) and the drivercircuit(s) (DC) is/are each as described above with respect to FIG. 2.As yet another example, the components of the object detection module 12₂ are illustratively mounted to at least one circuit substrate 136,which is as described with respect to the circuit substrate 116 of FIG.2, and the combination is illustratively mounted to or within a housing138, which is as described with respect to the housing 118 of FIG. 2. Insome embodiments, as also described above with respect to the objectdetection module 12 ₂ illustrated in FIG. 2, the at least one radartransmitter 132, the plurality of radar detectors 134 and the one ormore visible LEDs 112 may be combined and provided in the form of aradiation assembly or module 140 mounted to the at least one circuitsubstrate 136 as illustrated by example in FIG. 6A.

Referring now to FIG. 7, yet another example embodiment 12 ₃ is shown ofthe object detection module 12 illustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustratedembodiment, the object detection module 12 ₃ includes the radiationemission and detection assembly 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 and describedabove, which is electrically connected to the at least one processor orcontroller 143 via a number M of signal paths, wherein M may be anypositive integer. Unlike the object detection module 12 ₁ illustrated inFIG. 2, the object detection module 12 ₃ does not include the pluralityof illumination devices 112. The object detection module 12 ₃ isotherwise identical in structure and operation to the object detectionmodule 12 ₁ illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 and described above. For example,the object detection module 12 ₃ further illustratively includes anumber T of conventional supporting circuits (SC) 114 ₁-114 _(T),wherein T may be any positive integer. In some embodiments, the objectdetection module 12 ₃ may further include one or more conventionaldriver circuits, as described above with respect to FIG. 2, in suchembodiments in which the object detection module 12 ₃ includes one ormore drivable devices. In any case, the supporting circuit(s) (SC)is/are each as described above with respect to FIG. 2. As anotherexample, the components of the object detection module 12 ₃ areillustratively mounted to at least one circuit substrate 146, which isas described with respect to the circuit substrate 116 of FIG. 2, andthe combination is illustratively mounted to or within a housing 148,which is as described with respect to the housing 118 of FIG. 2. In someembodiments, as also described above with respect to the objectdetection module 12 ₁ illustrated in FIG. 2, the plurality of IR LEDs102 and the plurality of IR sensors 104 may be combined and provided inthe form of a radiation assembly or module 150 mounted to the at leastone circuit substrate 146 as illustrated by example in FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIG. 8, still another example embodiment 12 ₄ is shownof the object detection module 12 illustrated in FIG. 1. In theillustrated embodiment, the object detection module 12 ₄ includes theradiation emission and detection assembly 130 illustrated in FIG. 6A anddescribed above, which is electrically connected to the at least oneprocessor or controller 144 via a number M of signal paths, wherein Mmay be any positive integer. Unlike the object detection module 12 ₂illustrated in FIG. 6A, the object detection module 12 ₄ does notinclude the plurality of illumination devices 112. The object detectionmodule 12 ₄ is otherwise identical in structure and operation to theobject detection module 12 ₂ illustrated in FIGS. 6A, 6B and describedabove. For example, the object detection module 12 ₄ furtherillustratively includes a number V of conventional supporting circuits(SC) 114 ₁-114 _(V), wherein V may be any positive integer. In someembodiments, the object detection module 12 ₄ may further include one ormore conventional driver circuits, as described above with respect toFIG. 2, in such embodiments in which the object detection module 12 ₄includes one or more drivable devices. In any case, the supportingcircuit(s) (SC) is/are each as described above with respect to FIG. 2.As another example, the components of the object detection module 12 ₄are illustratively mounted to at least one circuit substrate 156, whichis as described with respect to the circuit substrate 116 of FIG. 2, andthe combination is illustratively mounted to or within a housing 158,which is as described with respect to the housing 118 of FIG. 2. In someembodiments, as also described above with respect to the objectdetection module 12 ₂ illustrated in FIG. 6A, the at least one radartransmitter 132 and the plurality of radar detectors 134 may be combinedand provided in the form of a radiation assembly or module 160 mountedto the at least one circuit substrate 156 as illustrated by example inFIG. 8.

The object detection module 12, as described above with respect to FIG.1 and various example embodiments 12 ₁-12 ₄ of which are described abovewith respect to FIGS. 2-8, may be implemented in a motor vehicle in anynumber of ways. As one example, and without limitation, the objectdetection module 12 ₃ or the object detection module 12 ₄ may beembodied in a motor vehicle access handle (e.g., a door handle) assembly200 as illustrated by example in FIGS. 9-12. Referring now to FIG. 9,the motor vehicle access handle assembly 200 is illustratively astrap-style handle of the type comprising a stationary base 202 fixableto a motor vehicle door and a movable portion 204 adapted to be graspedby a user and pulled outwardly away from the door to release the doorlatch and, thus, open the door. A handle base 206 is coupled to a pivotmount 210 configured to be pivotally mounted to the motor vehicle doorand a latch actuator 208 operatively coupled with a door latch assemblylocated within the motor vehicle door. A grip cover 212 is mountable toand over the handle base 206, and the grip cover 212 carries a lens 214through which radiation is emitted outwardly in the direction of a userapproaching or positioned proximate the lens 214 and through whichreflected radiation passes into the handle 200. Together, the grip cover212 and the handle base 206 form a grip configured to be grasped by ahuman hand. As will be described in greater detail below, the grip cover212 and handle base 206 together form a housing which carries the objectdetection module 12 ₃ or 12 ₄. In one embodiment, the radiation emissionand detection assembly 100, including the plurality of IR LEDs 102 andthe plurality of IR sensors 104, is housed within the movable portion204 of the handle assembly 200, and in another embodiment the radiationemission and detection assembly 130, including the at least one radartransmitter 132 and the plurality of radar detectors 134, is housedwithin the movable portion 204.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the grip cover 212 includes an opening 222therein in which the lens 214 is mounted. The lens 214 may be securedwithin the opening 222 in any known fashion. In the illustratedembodiment, lens 214 includes a base portion that is wider than theopening 222, whereby the lens 214 is inserted through the opening 222from the inside of the grip cover 212 and the base portion secured tothe grip cover 212 with epoxy or other suitable adhesive.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the object detection module12 ₃ or 12 ₄ is shown including the respective radiation emission anddetection assembly 100, 130 mounted to a respective circuit substrate146, 156. The radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 isillustratively mounted to the circuit substrate 146, 156, and thecircuit substrate 146, 156 is illustratively mounted to a support member216. The radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130, the circuitsubstrate 146, 156 and the support member 216 are all illustrativelyconfigured such that, when assembled, the radiation emission anddetection assembly 100, 130 is aligned with the opening 222 and the lens214 described above. Illustratively, the support member 16 isdimensioned to be sandwiched between the handle base 206 and the gripcover 212 so as to securely position the object detection module 12 ₃,12 ₄ within the housing defined by the handle base 206 and the gripcover 212.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 12, the support member 216 can be seen toinclude a plurality of outwardly facing locking tabs 218 which engagewith corresponding locking tabs 220 defined on the handle base 206 tosecurely capture the support member 216 in place within the housingdefined by the handle base 206 and the grip cover 212. And as shown bestin FIG. 11, an opening 224 defined in the support member 216 provides apass-through for wiring (not depicted) for electrically connecting thecomponents mounted to the circuit substrate 146, 156 to a power source(e.g., the vehicle battery) and, optionally, to one or more of the motorvehicle's onboard computers, e.g., 24, in order to effect vehiclecommands, in some embodiments, as described herein.

As another example implementation of the object detection module 12 in amotor vehicle, the object detection module 12 ₁ or the object detectionmodule 12 ₂ may likewise be embodied in a motor vehicle access handleassembly (e.g., a door handle) 300 as illustrated by example in FIGS.13-16. Referring to FIGS. 13 through 16, the motor vehicle access handleassembly 300 is illustratively a strap-style handle of the typeincluding a stationary base 302 fixable to a motor vehicle door and amovable portion 304 adapted to be grasped by a user and pulled outwardlyaway from the door to release the door latch and, thus, open the door. Ahandle base 306 is coupled to a pivot mount 310 configured to bepivotally mounted to the motor vehicle door and a latch actuator 308operatively coupled with a door latch assembly located within the motorvehicle door. A grip cover 312 is mountable to and over the handle base306, and the grip cover 312 illustratively carries a lens 314 throughwhich radiation is emitted outwardly in the direction of a userapproaching or positioned proximate the lens 314, through whichreflected radiation passes into the handle assembly 300 and throughwhich illumination of at the at least one illumination source 112 isvisible. Together, the grip cover 312 and the handle base 306 form agrip configured to be grasped by a human hand. As will be described ingreater detail below, the grip cover 312 and handle base 306 togetherform a housing which carries the object detection module 12 ₁ or 12 ₂.In one embodiment, the radiation emission and detection assembly 100,including the plurality of IR LEDs 102 and the plurality of IR sensors104, is housed within the movable portion 304 of the handle assembly300, and in another embodiment the radiation emission and detectionassembly 130, including the at least one radar transmitter 132 and theplurality of radar detectors 134, is housed within the movable portion304. In both embodiments, the array 110 of illumination sources 112 isalso housed within the movable portion 304 of the handle assembly,although in alternate embodiments the array 110 may be replaced by oneor more individual illumination sources 112 as described above.

As in the door handle assembly 200, the grip cover 312 includes anopening 322 therein configured to receive the lens 314, and the lens 314may be secured to the grip cover 312 within the opening 322 via anyconventional means. As further illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, theobject detection module 12 ₁ or 12 ₂ is shown including the respectiveradiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 mounted to arespective circuit substrate 116, 136. The illumination device array 110is also illustratively mounted to the circuit substrate 116, 136adjacent to the radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 asdescribed above, and in the illustrated embodiment a light-transmissivecover or lens 315 is mounted to the circuit substrate 116, 136 over theillumination device array 110. In one embodiment, the array 110 ofillumination devices 112 is aligned with and relative to the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 such that each of theillumination devices 112 is positioned adjacent to a corresponding oneof the plurality of IR sensors 104, in the case of the assembly 100, oradjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of radar detectors 134in the case of the assembly 130.

The circuit substrate 116, 136 is illustratively mounted to a supportmember 316 between sidewalls 324 of the grip cover 312. In someembodiments, the radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130, theillumination device array 110 and the circuit substrate 116, 136 are allillustratively configured such that, when assembled, the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 and the illumination devicearray 110 are together aligned with the opening 322 and the lens 314described above. In alternate embodiments, the grip cover 312 may be atleast partially light transmissive, and in such embodiments illuminationof the one or more illumination devices 112 is viewable through the gripcover 312. In still other embodiments, the grip cover 312 may defineanother opening and be fitted with another lens through whichillumination of the one or more illumination devices 112 may be viewed.In any case, the support member 316 is illustratively dimensioned to besandwiched between the handle base 206 and the grip cover 212 so as tosecurely position the object detection module 12 ₁, 12 ₂ within thehousing defined by the handle base 206 and the grip cover 212.

With particular reference to FIGS. 15 and 16, secure positioning of thecircuit substrate 116, 136 carrying the radiation emission and detectorassembly 100, 130 and the illumination device array 110 220 isaccomplished via the support member 316 which extends inwardly from thegrip cover 312 so as to be positioned inside the moveable portion 304 ofthe handle assembly 300. The support member 316 includes sidewalls onwhich are disposed a plurality of outwardly facing locking tabs 318which engage with corresponding locking tabs 326 defined on the baseportion 306 to securely connect the and handle base 306 to the gripcover 312. The circuit substrate 116, 136 is sandwiched between thesupport member 316 and the handle base 312, while the radiation emissionand detection assembly 100, 130 and the illumination device array 110are IR received between the sidewalls of the support member 316.

In either of the motor vehicle access handle assemblies 200, 300illustrated in FIGS. 9-16, it will be understood that some embodimentsmay include the at least one respective processor or controller 141-144mounted to the respective circuit substrate 116, 136, 146, 156 asdescribed above with respect to FIGS. 1-8. In some alternateembodiments, the at least one respective processor or controller 141-144may be positioned elsewhere on the vehicle and operatively connected tothe radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 and, in theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13-16, to the illumination device array110. In either case, it will also be understood that some embodimentsmay include the support circuit(s) and, in the case of the modules 121,122, 114 also mounted to the respective circuit substrate 116, 136, 146,156 as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-8. In alternateembodiments, at least one of the support circuit(s) and/or at least oneof the driver circuit(s) (in embodiments which include at least onedriver circuit) may be positioned elsewhere on the vehicle andoperatively connected to the respective circuit components of themodules 121-124. In any such embodiment, the respective processor orcontroller 14 ₁-144 is operable as described above with respect to FIGS.2-8 to actuate at least one actuator 46 upon detection of a predefinedgesture, to controllably illuminate the one or more illumination sources112, as also described above, in embodiments which include the one ormore illumination sources 112 and, in some embodiments, to controlactivation of one or more audio and/or illumination devices 66.

As yet another example implementation of the object detection module 12in a motor vehicle, any of the object detection modules 12 ₁-12 ₄ may beembodied in a motor vehicle access assembly 400 as illustrated byexample in FIGS. 17-21. Referring to FIGS. 17 through 19, the motorvehicle access assembly 400 is illustratively provided in the form of ahousing 118, 138, 148, 158 of a respective one of the object detectionmodules 12 ₁-12 ₄ adapted to be mounted to a support member 406 of themotor vehicle, e.g., a pillar, positioned between two access closures,e.g., doors, 402, 404 of the motor vehicle. As most clearly shown inFIG. 19, the housing 118, 138, 148, 158 of any of the respective objectdetection modules 12 ₁-12 ₄ is illustratively provided in the form of afirst housing portion 408 mounted to the vehicle structure 406, and asecond elongated housing portion 410 mounted to the first housingportion 408 such that a free elongated end of the second elongatedhousing 410 is vertically oriented with a vertical seam 415 definedbetween the vehicle doors 402, 404. In alternate embodiments, thevertical seam 415 may be defined between an access closure of the motorvehicle and a stationary panel of the motor vehicle.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12 is provided inthe form of the object detection module 12 ₃ or 12 ₄, the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 is illustratively provided inthe form of a radiation assembly or module 150, 160 as described above,and in embodiments in which the object detection module 12 is providedin the form of the object detection module 12 ₁ or 12 ₂, the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 and the one or moreillumination devices 112 are together provided in the form of aradiation assembly or module 120, 140 as also described above. In theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, the radiation assembly ormodule 120, 140, 150, 160 is illustratively an elongated assembly ormodule mounted to the elongated free end of the housing portion 410 suchthat the elongated radiation assembly or module 120, 140, 150, 160 isvertically oriented with the vertical seam 415, and such that thehousing portion 410 and the radiation assembly or module 120, 140, 150,160 together are illustratively recessed within the motor vehiclerelative to an outer surface of the motor vehicle. In alternateembodiments, the housing portion 410 and the radiation assembly ormodule 120, 140, 150, 160 are configured such that the housing portion410 is recessed within the motor vehicle relative to the outer surfaceof the motor vehicle but at least a portion of the radiation assembly ormodule 120, 140, 150, 160 extends at least partially into the verticalseam 415. In some such embodiments, the radiation assembly or module120, 140, 150, 160 may at least partially protrude from the verticalseam 415 and thus extend outwardly from the outer surface of the motorvehicle adjacent one either side of the vertical seam 415, and in othersuch embodiments the radiation assembly or module 120, 140, 150, 160 mayat least partially extend into the vertical seam 415, but not protrudeoutwardly therefrom and thus not extend outwardly from the outer surfaceof the motor vehicle. In some embodiments, an elongated lens 412 maycover the radiation assembly or module 120, 140, 150, 160 to protect thesame from the outside environment, as illustrated by example in FIG. 19.

Thusly positioned, the at least one radiation transmitter, e.g., theplurality of IR LEDs 102 or the at least one radar transmitter, ispositioned relative to the vertical seam 415 such that, when activated,radiation is emitted outwardly through the vertical oriented seam 415 atleast partially along its length and, if an object is positioned withina sensing region of the radiation assembly or module 120, 140, 150, 160,at least some reflected radiation signals are reflected back towards(and in some embodiments, through) the vertically oriented seam 415 tobe detected by one or more of the radiation receivers, e.g., one or moreof the IR sensors 104 or one or more of the radar detectors 134.Otherwise, the respective processor or controller 14 ₁-14 ₄ is operableas described above with respect to FIGS. 2-8 to actuate at least oneactuator 46 upon detection of a predefined gesture, to controllablyilluminate the one or more illumination sources 112, as also describedabove, in embodiments which include the one or more illumination sources112 and, in some embodiments, to control activation of one or more audioand/or illumination devices 66.

As further illustrated by example in FIGS. 20 and 21, the vehicle accessclosure 402, e.g., door, which partially defines the vertically orientedseam 415 may be fitted with a passive handle 420 along an inside edge425 of the closure 402, i.e., along an interior, side surface of thedoor 402 which is not seen or accessible outside of the motor vehiclewhen the door 402 is closed but which is seen and accessible when thedoor 402 is at least partially open. In the illustrated embodiment, thepassive handle 420 is illustratively provided in the form of a pocket422 surrounded by a flange 426 which is attached to the inside edge 425of the door 402. The pocket 422 illustratively has a sidewall whichextends into the inside edge 425 of the door 402 to a bottom surface 424so as to form a cavity 428 bound by the sides and bottom 424 of thepocket 422. Illustratively, the cavity 428 of the pocket 402 is sized toreceive at least two or more fingers of a human hand therein to allowthe human hand to facilitate opening the door 402. In the illustratedembodiment, the processor or controller 14 ₁-14 ₄ is illustrativelyoperable, upon exhibition of a predefined gesture detected by theradiation assembly or module 120, 140, 150, 160, to control at least oneactuator driver circuit 40 to activate at least one actuator 46associated with the door 402 to at least partially open the door 402sufficiently to allow the two or more fingers of a human hand to accessand engage the pocket 402.

As a further example implementation of the object detection module 12 ina motor vehicle, any of the object detection modules 12 ₁-12 ₄ may beembodied in a motor vehicle access assembly 400 as illustrated byexample in FIGS. 22-31. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 21-31, themotor vehicle access assembly 400 illustratively takes the form of alicense plate bracket and sensor assembly 500, 500′ for providinghands-free access to a rear access closure, e.g., door, of a motorvehicle 522. It should be appreciated that the terms “rear accessclosure” and “rear access door” as used herein may include any rearaccess door for a motor vehicle such as, but not limited to, a liftgate, trunk and tailgate. Additionally, the term “motor vehicle” as usedherein may encompass various types of motor vehicles including, but notlimited to, automobiles, trucks, all-terrain vehicles and the like.

With specific reference to FIG. 23, the assembly 500 includes agenerally rectangular-shaped back plate 524 that extends along a planeC. The back plate 524 presents a front surface 526, a rear surface 528,a top 530, a bottom 532 and a pair of sides 534 that extend between thetop 530 and bottom 532. It should be appreciated that the back plate 524could have other shapes, such as, but not limited to, an oval shape.

As best shown in FIG. 24, a first flange 536 extends from the top 530 ofthe back plate 524 over the front surface 526 at a viewing angle a. Theviewing angle a is acute relative to the plane C of the back plate 524.As best shown in FIG. 27, the first flange 536 extends between a pair ofedges 538 that are spaced inwardly from the sides 534 of the back plate524. A protrusion 540 extends transversely from the front surface 526 ofthe back plate 524 adjacent to each of the edges 538 of the first flange536.

An object detection assembly 542, in the form of one of the objectdetection module 12 ₁-12 ₄, overlies the first flange 536. The objectdetection assembly 542 illustratively includes a radiation emission anddetection assembly 544, e.g., in the form of one of the radiationassemblies or modules 120, 140, 150, 160, at the viewing angle arelative to the plane C for detecting movement in a sensing region infront of the assembly 544. It should be appreciated that since theviewing angle a is acute relative to the plane C of the back plate 524,once the assembly 500 is attached or mounted to the motor vehicle 522,the radiation emission and detection assembly 544 is pointed generallytoward the feet of an operator that is standing behind the motor vehicle522, thus allowing the assembly 544 to detect movement in the region ofthe feet of the operator.

As best shown in FIGS. 27 and 29, the object detection assembly 542extends between a pair of extremities 546, with each of the extremities546 aligned with one of the edges 538 of the first flange 536. A pair oftabs 548 extend away from the object detection assembly 542, eachaligned with one of the extremities 546 and disposed against one of theprotrusions 540. A pair of first fasteners 552 each extend through oneof the tabs 548 and one of the protrusions 540 to secure the objectdetection assembly 542 to the first protrusions 540. In the exampleembodiment, the first fasteners 552 are bolts, however, it should beappreciated that they could be other types of fasteners including, butnot limited to, screws or adhesives.

As best shown in FIGS. 22-25, a plate frame 554 overlies the back plate524. The plate frame 554 has a generally rectangular shapedcross-section and includes an upper segment 556 disposed over the top530 of the back plate 524, a lower segment 558 disposed over the bottom532 of the back plate 524 and a pair of flank segments 560 that extendbetween the upper and lower segments 556, 558 and are disposed over thesides 534 of the back plate 524. The plate frame 554 further defines awindow 564 between the upper and lower and flank segments 556, 558, 560for providing visibility to a license plate 525 disposed between theback plate 524 and the plate frame 554.

As best shown in FIG. 25, the bottom 532 of the back plate 524 and thelower segment 558 of the plate frame 554 define a plate slot 562therebetween for receiving a license plate 525 between the back plate524 and the plate frame 554. Said another way, a license plate 525 maybe inserted into the object detection assembly 520 through the plateslot 562.

As best shown in FIGS. 23 and 27, a plurality of connection orifices 559are defined by the plate frame 554 and the back plate 524. A pluralityof second fasteners 561 extend through the connection orifices 559 andthe license plate 525 for connecting the assembly 500 and the licenseplate 525 to the motor vehicle 522. In the example embodiments, thesecond fasteners 561 are bolts; however, it should be appreciated thatother types of fasteners could be utilized.

As best shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, a generally rectangular-shaped covermember 566 extends from the lower segment 558 into the window 564 towardthe upper segment 556. The cover member 566 defines a linear slit 568that extends parallel to the lower segment 558 of the plate frame 554.

The processor or controller 14 ₁-14 ₂ of the object detection assembly542 is depicted in the example embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 22-30 inthe form of a controller 570, 571, which is electrically connected tothe object detection assembly 542 for processing information received bythe radiation emission and detection assembly 544. In the first exampleembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 22-30, the controller includes a circuitboard 570 that is disposed in alignment with the cover member 566 and iselectrically connected to the assembly 544. The circuit board 570illustratively includes a microprocessor 571 (schematically shown) forprocessing information received by the assembly 544.

In the illustrated embodiment, the one or more illumination devices 112is/are depicted in the form of a plurality of light emitting diodes 572mounted to the circuit board 570 in alignment with the slit 568. EachLED in the plurality of light emitting diodes 572 is electricallyconnected to the circuit board 570 for emitting light in response to thedetection of movement by the assembly 544 as described above. A lens 574is illustratively disposed between the circuit board 570 and the covermember 566, and overlies the plurality of light emitting diodes 572 forholding the light emitting diodes 572 in place and for protecting thelight emitting diodes 572 while allowing light from the light emittingdiodes 572 to pass through the lens 574. It should be appreciated thatother light emitting devices could be utilized instead of light emittingdiodes 572.

In addition to, or as an alternative to the light emitting diodes 572,an audible device 573 (schematically shown and which may be one of theaudio devices 66 depicted in FIG. 1) such as a speaker or piezoelectricelement may also be disposed on the circuit board 570 or other locationof the assembly to provide feedback to an operator of the motor vehicle522 during use of the object detection assembly 542.

A plurality of first ribbon wires 576 and a jumper board 578 extendbetween and electrically connect the circuit board 570 and the radiationemission and detection assembly 544. The first ribbon wires 576 extendalong the lower and flank segments 558, 560 of the plate frame 554. Afirst potting material 582 is disposed between back plate 524 and ribbonwires 580 and jumper board 578 for damping vibrations between the backplate 524 and the assembly 544, first ribbon wires 576 and jumper board578 and for holding the first ribbon wires 576 and jumper board 578 inplace relative to the back plate 524.

As best shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, a support member 579 is disposedbeneath and engages the first flange 536. The support member 579 extendsbetween the flank segments 557 for supporting the first flange 536. Asecond flange 584 extends from the upper segment 556 of the plate frame554 at the viewing angle a and overlies the first flange 536. The secondflange 584 and the support member 579 define a detector slot 581therebetween receiving the object detection assembly 542 for protectingthe assembly 542.

As best shown in FIG. 27, the back plate 524 defines a wire opening 588adjacent to the bottom 532 of the back plate 524. A plurality of secondribbon wires 586 extend from circuit board 570 along the front surface526 of the back plate 524 adjacent to the bottom 532 of the back plate524 and through the wire opening 588 and across the rear surface 528 ofthe back plate 524. A second potting material 590 overlies the secondribbon wires 586 for damping vibrations of the plurality of secondribbon wires 586 and for holding the second ribbon wires 586 in placerelative to the rear surface 528 of the back plate 524.

As best shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, a pocket insert 592 of a metalmaterial is fixed to the rear surface 528 of the back plate 524 forbeing received by a mounting hole on the vehicle 522 for connecting thelicense plate bracket and sensor assembly 500 to the motor vehicle 522.The pocket insert 592 has a tube portion 594 that extends between arearward end 596 and a forward end 598. A lip 600 extends outwardly fromthe forward end 598 of the tube portion 594 and fixedly engages the rearsurface 528 of the back plate 524 for connecting the pocket insert 592to the back plate 524. A lid 602 is disposed across the rearward end 596of the tube portion 594 to close the rearward end 596. The lid 602defines a passage 604 that extends therethrough.

The second ribbon wires 586 further extend through the passage 604 forallowing the second ribbon wires 586 to be connected to a computer ofthe motor vehicle 522 for electrically connecting the circuit board 570to the computer, e.g., the vehicle control computer 24, of the motorvehicle 522. More specifically, the second wires 576, 580, 586electrically connect the license plate bracket and sensor assembly 500to the existing passive entry system of the motor vehicle 522.

Operation of the license plate bracket and sensor assembly 500 is asdescribed above with respect to FIGS. 2-8 in that the microprocessor 571is programmed to identify a recognizable, predetermined, position,motion or reflection base on signals provided by the object detectionassembly 542. Upon recognition of such a position, motion or reflection,the microprocessor 571 illustratively sends one or more signals to thecomputer 24 of the motor vehicle 522 to open the rear access enclosure.In other words, the microprocessor 571 is configured to receive signalsfrom the object detection assembly 542, and to open the rear accessclosure in response to the reception and recognition of one or morepredetermined signals corresponding to a predefine gesture, e.g., a handwave or foot wave, within a detection range of the object detectionassembly 542.

In embodiments in which the object detection assembly 542 is implementedin the form of the object detection module 12 ₁ or 12 ₂ illustrated inFIGS. 2-6B and described above, the microprocessor 571 is furtherillustratively configured to cause the one or more illumination devices112, i.e., the light emitting diodes 572, to emit light, as describedabove, in a manner which directs the operator to the proper position ormotion to open the rear access enclosure of the motor vehicle 522. Asone illustrative example, which should not be considered limiting in anyway, as the user approaches the side of the assembly 500 the lightemitting diodes 572 may initially be controlled to illuminate in red. Asthe user moves a hand or foot toward the middle of the assembly 500, thelight emitting diodes 572 may be controlled to illuminate in amber, andfinally to illuminate in green to indicate actuation of an openingmechanism 48 of the rear access closure of the motor vehicle 522.Additionally or as an alternative, the audible device 573 may beactivated to further guide the user to the proper position or throughthe proper predetermined movement to open the rear access closure. Ofcourse, other configurations and/or control techniques of the lightemitting diodes 571 may be alternatively or additionally be implemented,several examples of which are described hereinabove.

In embodiments in which the object detection assembly 542 is implementedin the form of the object detection module 12 ₃ or 12 ₄ illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8 respectively, operation of the assembly 500 may be as justdescribed except with no visual feedback from the module 12 ₃, 12 ₄ dueto the absence of the one or more illumination devices 112, e.g., in theform of the light emitting diodes 571.

In the second example embodiment of the license plate bracket and sensorassembly 500′ illustrated in FIG. 31, the plate frame only extendsacross the top of the back plate 524′, such that only an upper portionof a license plate is covered by the plate frame. In this embodiment,the object detection module 12 ₁-12 ₄ may be incorporated into an uppersegment 556′ of the plate frame. Furthermore, a pair of visibilitylights 605 may be connected to the upper segment 556′ of the plate framefor illuminating the license plate in the event that the assembly 500′casts a shadow on the license plate by blocking the factory installedlights of the motor vehicle 522. It should be appreciated that the firstexample embodiment of the assembly 500 could also include or more ofsuch visibility lights 605.

Referring now to FIG. 32, a motor vehicle 630 is shown depicting variousexample locations on and around the motor vehicle 630 to or at which allor part of the object detection module 12 (e.g., in any of its exampleforms 12 ₁-12 ₄) may be attached, affixed, mounted, integrated orotherwise positioned (collectively “mounted”). For example, one or moreobject detection modules 12 may be mounted at or to one or more of aside door 632, a rocker panel 634, a so-called “A pillar” 636, aso-called “B pillar” 638, a so-called “C pillar” 640 and a side window642. Referring to FIG. 33, another motor vehicle 650 is shown depictingother various example locations on and around the motor vehicle 650 toor at which all or part of the object detection module 12 (e.g., in anyof its example forms 12 ₁-12 ₄) may be attached, affixed, mounted,integrated or otherwise positioned (collectively “mounted”). Forexample, one or more object detection modules 12 may be mounted at or toone or more of an emblem or plaque 654 affixed to a front grille 654 ofa hood 652 or front end of the vehicle 650, the front grille 654 or hood652 itself, a front bumper 656, one or both of the front headlights 660(or other light fixture(s) on the front of the vehicle 650 and/or on theside of the vehicle 650 adjacent to the front of the vehicle 650), afront windshield 662 and one or more side mirror housings 664. Referringto FIG. 34, yet another motor vehicle 670 is shown depicting still othervarious example locations on and around the motor vehicle 670 to or atwhich all or part of the object detection module 12 (e.g., in any of itsexample forms 12 ₁-12 ₄) may be attached, affixed, mounted, integratedor otherwise positioned (collectively “mounted”). For example, one ormore object detection modules 12 may be mounted at or to one or more ofa handle or handle area 674 of a rear closure 672, e.g., rear door orhatch, of the motor vehicle 670, an accessory area 676, e.g., in or towhich a license plate and/or lighting may be mounted, a license plateframe 678, a license plate lamp assembly or other rear lamp assembly680, an emblem or plaque 682 affixed to the rear closure 672, a rearspoiler 684, a brake lamp assembly 686 mounted to the rear spoiler 684or to the rear closure 672, a rear window 688, the rear bumper 690, amain or auxiliary license plate area 692 of or adjacent to the rearbumper 690, a rear lamp assembly 694 mounted to or within the rearbumper 690, at least one rear lamp assembly 696 mounted to the rearclosure 672 and at least one rear lamp assembly 698 mounted to the bodyof the motor vehicle 670 adjacent to the rear closure 672.

In some embodiments, at least one object detection module 12 illustratedin any of FIGS. 13-34 may include at least one illumination device 112,and in such embodiments the at least one object detection module 12 maybe implemented in the form of the object detection module 12 ₁ and/orthe object detection module 12 ₂ operable to provide for gesture accessto the motor vehicle with visual feedback provided by the at least oneillumination device 112 as described hereinabove. In some suchembodiments and/or in other embodiments, at least one object detectionmodule 12 illustrated in any of FIGS. 9-12 and 17-34 may not include anyillumination device(s) 112, and in such embodiments the at least oneobject detection module 12 may be implemented in the form of the objectdetection module 12 ₃ and/or the object detection module 12 ₄ operableto provide for gesture access to the motor vehicle with no visualfeedback provided by the object detection module 12 ₃ and/or the objectdetection module 12 ₄ as also described hereinabove. An example processfor providing for such gesture access is illustrated in FIG. 35 and willbe described in detail below. In some such embodiments and/or in stillother embodiments, at least one object detection module 12 illustratedin any of FIGS. 9-34 may be implemented in the form of the objectdetection module 12 ₂ and/or the object detection module 12 ₄ whichinclude the radiation emission and detection assembly 130, in the formof at least one radar transmitter 132 and a plurality of radar detectorsor receivers 134, to selectively provide for (i) gesture access to themotor vehicle, with or without visual feedback when, e.g., movement ofthe motor vehicle is disabled, and (ii) object detection for objectimpact avoidance when, e.g., the motor vehicle is moving or is enabledto move, as briefly described above. Example processes for selectivelyproviding for gesture access and object impact avoidance are illustratedin FIGS. 36 and 37 and will be described in detail below.

Referring now to FIG. 35, a simplified flowchart is shown of a process700 for providing gesture access to one or more access closures of amotor vehicle in or to which at least one object detection module 12 ismounted. In one embodiment, the process 700 is illustratively stored inthe at least one memory 16 of the object detection module 12 in the formof instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor orcontroller 14 of the object detection module 12, cause the at least oneprocessor or controller 14 to execute the corresponding functions. Itwill be understood that in some alternate embodiments, such instructionsmay be stored, in whole or in part, in any one or more of the memoryunits illustrated in FIG. 1, e.g., in one or more of the memory 16 ofthe object detection module 12, the memory 28 of the vehicle controlcomputer 24, the memory 44 of the actuator driver circuit(s) 40 and thememory 64 of the audio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60, andprovided to the at least one processor or controller 14 for executionthereby. In other alternate embodiments, such instructions, whereverstored, may be executed, in whole or in part, by any one or more of theprocessors or controllers illustrated in FIG. 1, e.g., by one or more ofthe processors or controllers 14, 26, 42 and 62. For purposes of thefollowing description, the process 700 will be described as beingexecuted by the processor or controller 14, it being understood that theprocess 700 may alternatively or additionally be executed, in whole orin part, by one or more of the processors or controllers 26, 42, 62.

It will be further understood that the process 700 may be executed usingany of the object detection modules 12 ₁-12 ₄. In this regard,dashed-line boxes are shown around some of the steps or groups of stepsof the process 700 to identify steps which are part of the process 700when the object detection module 12 is implemented in the form of theobject detection module 12 ₁ or the object detection module 12 ₂ toinclude at least one illumination device 112. As will be describedbelow, such steps are illustratively omitted in embodiments in which theobject detection module 12 is implemented in the form of the objectdetection module 12 ₃ or the object detection module 12 ₄ which do notinclude any such illumination devices 112.

The process 700 illustratively begins at step 702 where the processor orcontroller 14 is operable to determine whether a Key Fob signal has beendetected. As described above, the Key Fob signal is illustrativelyproduced by a conventional Key Fob 20 or other mobile electronic device.In some embodiments, the Key Fob signal is received by the communicationcircuit 30 of the vehicle control computer 24 and passed, processed orunprocessed, to the processor or controller 14. In other embodiments inwhich the object detection module 12 includes a communication circuit18, the Key Fob signal may be received directly by the processor orcontroller 14. In any case, until the Key Fob signal is detected, theprocess 700 loops back to step 702.

If the Key Fob signal is received by the communication circuit 30 of thevehicle control computer 24, the processor or controller 26 of thevehicle control computer 24 is illustratively operable to decode thereceived Key Fob signal and determine whether it matches at least oneKey Fob code stored in the memory 28. If not, the processor orcontroller 26 disregards or ignores the Key Fob signal and the process700 loops back to step 702. Likewise, if the Key Fob signal is receivedby the communication circuit 18 of the object detection module 12, theprocessor 14 is similarly operable to determine whether the received KeyFob signal matches at least one Key Fob code stored in the memory 16 orin the memory 28. If not, the process 700 likewise loops back to step702. Thus, the process 700 advances along the “YES” branch of step 702only if the received Key Fob signal matches at least one stored Key Fobcode, such that the gesture access process proceeds only for authorizedusers, i.e., only for users carrying a Key Fob 20 that is recognizableby the object detection system 10. It will be understood that someembodiments of the process 700 may not include step 702, and in suchembodiments the process 700 begins at step 704.

Following the “YES” branch of step 702 (in embodiments which includestep 702), the process 700 advances to step 704 where the processor orcontroller 14 is operable to monitor the object detection assembly; morespecifically, to monitor the radiation emission and detection assembly100, 130 of the respective object detection module 12 ₁-12 ₄ for objectdetection signals produced thereby, if any. In some embodiments, theprocessor or controller 14 is operable at step 704 to activate theradiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 to begin transmittingradiation following step 702, and in other embodiments the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 may already be operating andthe processor or controller 14 may be operable at step 704 to beginmonitoring the signals being produced by the previously activatedradiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130.

In any case, following step 704 the processor or controller 14 isoperable at step 706 to determine whether any object detection signalshave been produced by the radiation emission and detection assembly 100,130 of the respective object detection module 12 ₁-12 ₄. If not, then anobject has not been detected within the sensing region of the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 of the respective objectdetection module 12 ₁-12 ₄. In some embodiments, the process 700advances from the “NO” branch of step 706 back to the beginning of step702 as illustrated by example in FIG. 35. In some alternate embodiments,the process 700 may advance from the “NO” branch of step 706 back to thebeginning of step 706 such that the process 700 continually checks foran object detection until an object is detected. In such embodiments, atimer or counter may illustratively be implemented such that the process700 exits the loop of step 706, e.g., by looping back to the beginningof step 702, after a predefined time period has elapsed since detectingthe Key Fob signal without thereafter detecting an object. If, at step706, the signal(s) received from the radiation emission and detectionassembly 100, 130 of the respective object detection module 12 ₁-12 ₄indicate that an object is detected within the sensing region ofthereof, the process 700 proceeds from step 706 along the “YES” branch.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12 is implemented inthe form of the object detection module 12 ₁ or the object detectionmodule 12 ₂, the process 700 illustratively includes step 708.Conversely, in embodiments in which the object detection module 12 isimplemented in the form of the object detection module 12 ₃ or theobject detection module 12 ₄, the process 700 does not include step 708.In implementations of the process 700 which include it, step 708illustratively includes step 710 in which the processor or controller 14is operable to identify one or more illumination devices 112 toilluminate based on the received object detection (OD) signal(s)produced by the radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 ofthe respective object detection module 12 ₁, 12 ₂. Thereafter at step712, the processor or controller 14 is operable to control one or moreof the driver circuit(s) DC to illuminate the identified illuminationdevice(s) 112 according to a predefined detection scheme.

In one embodiment, the processor or controller 14 is operable at steps710 and 712 to identify and illuminate at least one of the illuminationdevices 112 according to various different detection or illuminationschemes. For example, if an object is determined, based on the objectdetection signals produced by the radiation emission and detectionassembly 100, 130, to be within the sensing region of the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 but within a sub-region of thesensing region that is too small to allow determination by the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 and/or by the processor orcontroller 14 of whether the object within the sensing region exhibits apredefined gesture, the processor or controller 14 is operable tocontrol illumination of the one or more illumination devices 112according to an “insufficient detection” illumination scheme. In oneembodiment in which the object detection module 12 ₁ or 12 ₂ includes aplurality of illumination devices in the form of an array 110 extendingat least partially across the sensing region as described above withrespect to the example illustrated in FIG. 3A, the processor orcontroller 14 is operable to identify for illumination according to the“insufficient detection” scheme those of the illumination devices 112which occupy the same or substantially the same sub-region of thesensing region as that occupied by the object, and to control suchidentified illumination devices 112 to illuminate with a predefinedcolor, e.g., red. Alternatively or additionally, the controller 14 maybe operable at step 712 to control the identified illumination devices112 to illuminate according to the “insufficient detection” scheme byswitching on and off at a predefined frequency and/or with a predefinedduty cycle, and/or to illuminate only a subset of the illuminationdevices. In embodiments which include more or fewer illuminationdevices, the processor or controller 14 may be operable at steps 710 and712 to control at least one illumination device 112 to illuminateaccording to the “insufficient detection” illumination scheme byilluminating with at least one of a predefined color, a predefinedfrequency and a predefined duty cycle.

As another example, if an object is determined, based on the objectdetection signals produced by the radiation emission and detectionassembly 100, 130, to be within the sensing region of the radiationemission and detection assembly 100, 130 and also within a sub-region ofthe sensing region in which the radiation emission and detectionassembly 100, 130 and/or by the processor or controller 14 can determinewhether the object therein exhibits a predefined gesture, the processoror controller 14 is operable to control illumination of the one or moreillumination devices 112 according to an “object detection” illuminationscheme. In one embodiment in which the object detection module 12 ₁ or12 ₂ includes a plurality of illumination devices in the form of anarray 110 extending at least partially across the sensing region asdescribed above with respect to the example illustrated in FIG. 4, theprocessor or controller 14 is operable to identify for illuminationaccording to the “object detection” scheme those of the illuminationdevices 112 which occupy the same or substantially the same sub-regionof the sensing region as that occupied by the object, and to controlsuch identified illumination devices 112 to illuminate with a predefinedcolor that is different from any that may be used in other illuminationschemes, e.g., in this case, amber. Alternatively or additionally, thecontroller 14 may be operable at step 712 to control the identifiedillumination devices 112 to illuminate according to the “objectdetection” scheme by switching on and off at a predefined frequencyand/or with a predefined duty cycle different from any such predefinedfrequency and/or duty cycle used in different illumination schemes,and/or to illuminate only a subset of the illumination devices differentfrom any subset used in other illumination schemes. In embodiments whichinclude more or fewer illumination devices, the processor or controller14 may be operable at steps 710 and 712 to control at least oneillumination device 112 to illuminate according to the “objectdetection” illumination scheme by illuminating with at least one of apredefined color, a predefined frequency and a predefined duty cyclewhich is/are different that that/those used in other illuminationschemes.

In embodiments which include step 708, the process 700 advances fromstep 712 to step 714, and in embodiments which do not include step 708the process 700 advances from the “YES” branch of step 706 to step 714.In any case, the processor or controller 14 is operable at step 714 tocompare the received object detection signals (OD), i.e., received fromthe radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130, to one or morevehicle access condition (VAC) values stored in the memory 16 (or thememory 28, 42 and/or 64), and to determine at step 716 whether the VACis satisfied. In some embodiments, for example, the stored VAC issatisfied if the object detected within a suitable sub-region of thesensing region of the radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130exhibits a predefined gesture which, when processed by the processor orcontroller 14 to determine a corresponding vehicle access value, matchesthe stored VAC as described above. Alternatively or additionally, asalso described above, one or more VAC values stored in the memory 16,28, 42 and/or 64 may be associated in the memory with a correspondingKey Fob code, and in some embodiments multiple VAC values are stored inthe memory 16, 28, 42, 64 with each associated with a different Key Fobcode. In some such embodiments, vehicle access may be granted only ifthe combination of the Key Fob code and associated VAC are satisfied.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12 is implemented inthe form of the object detection module 12 ₁ or the object detectionmodule 12 ₂, the process 700 illustratively includes step 718 to whichthe process 700 advances from the “YES” branch of step 716. Conversely,in embodiments in which the object detection module 12 is implemented inthe form of the object detection module 12 ₃ or the object detectionmodule 12 ₄, the process 700 does not include step 718. Inimplementations of the process 700 which include it, step 718illustratively includes step 720 in which the processor or controller 14is operable to control one or more of the driver circuit(s) DC toilluminate the identified illumination device(s) 112 according toanother predefined detection or illumination scheme different from the“insufficient detection” and “object detection” schemes described above.For example, if an object previously determined to be within the sensingregion of the radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 isdetermined, based on the object detection signals produced by theradiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130, to exhibit apredefined gesture as described above, the processor or controller 14 isillustratively operable to control illumination of one or moreillumination devices 112 according to an “access grant” illuminationscheme. In one embodiment in which the object detection module 12 ₁ or12 ₂ includes a plurality of illumination devices in the form of anarray 110 extending at least partially across the sensing region asdescribed above with respect to the example illustrated in FIG. 5, theprocessor or controller 14 is operable to identify for illuminationaccording to the “access grant” scheme those of the illumination devices112 which occupy the same or substantially the same sub-region of thesensing region as that occupied by the object, and to control suchidentified illumination devices 112 to illuminate with a predefinedcolor that is different from any that may be used in other illuminationschemes, e.g., in this case, green. Alternatively or additionally, thecontroller 14 may be operable at step 718 to control the identifiedillumination devices 112 to illuminate according to the “access grant”scheme by switching on and off at a predefined frequency and/or with apredefined duty cycle different from any such predefined frequencyand/or duty cycle used in other illumination schemes, and/or toilluminate only a subset of the illumination devices different from anysubset used in other illumination schemes. In embodiments which includemore or fewer illumination devices, the processor or controller 14 maybe operable at step 718 to control at least one illumination device 112to illuminate according to the “access grant” illumination scheme byilluminating with at least one of a predefined color, a predefinedfrequency and a predefined duty cycle which is/are different thatthat/those used in other illumination schemes.

In embodiments which include step 718, the process 700 advances fromstep 718 to step 724, and in embodiments which do not include step 718the process 700 advances from the “YES” branch of step 716 to step 724.In any case, the processor or controller 14 is operable at step 724 tocontrol one or more of the actuator driver circuits 40 to activate oneor more corresponding vehicle access actuators 46 in order to actuateone or more corresponding vehicle access closure devices. Examples ofsuch vehicle access closure devices may include, but are not limited to,one or more access closure locks, one or more access closure latches,and the like. At step 724, the processor or controller 14 may beoperable to, for example, control at least one lock actuator associatedwith at least one access closure of the motor vehicle to unlock theaccess closure from a locked state or condition and/or to lock theaccess closure from an unlocked state or condition, and/or to control atleast one latch actuator associated with at least one access closure ofthe motor vehicle to at least partially open the access closure from aclosed position or condition and/or to close the access closure from anat least partially open position or condition.

In some embodiments, the process 700 may optionally include a step 726to which the process 700 advances from step 724, as illustrated bydashed-line representation in FIG. 35. In embodiments which include it,the processor or controller 14 is operable at step 724 to control one ormore of the audio and/or illumination device driver circuits 60 toactivate one or more corresponding audio and/or illumination devices 66in addition to controlling one or more vehicle access actuators toactivate one or more vehicle access devices at step 724 followingdetection at step 716 of exhibition of a predefined gesture by theobject within the sensing region of the radiation emission and detectionassembly 100, 130. Example audio devices which may be activated at step726 may include, but are not limited to, the vehicle horn, an audibledevice configured to emit one or more chirps, beeps, or other audibleindicators, or the like. Example illumination devices which may beactivated at step 726 in addition to one or more illumination devices112 (in embodiments which include one or more such illumination devices112) may include, but are not limited to, one or more existing exteriormotor vehicle lights or lighting systems, e.g., headlamp(s), taillamp(s), running lamp(s), brake lamp(s), side marker lamp(s), or thelike, and one or more existing interior motor vehicle lights or lightingsystems, e.g., dome lamp, access closure-mounted lamp(s), motor vehiclefloor-illumination lamp(s), trunk illumination lamp(s), or the like. Inany case, following step 726, or following step 724 in embodiments whichdo not include step 726, the process 700 illustratively loops back tostep 702.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12 is implemented inthe form of the object detection module 12 ₁ or the object detectionmodule 12 ₂, the process 700 may illustratively include step 722 towhich the process 700 advances from the “NO” branch of step 716.Conversely, in embodiments in which the object detection module 12 isimplemented in the form of the object detection module 12 ₃ or theobject detection module 12 ₄, the process 700 does not include step 72.In implementations of the process 700 which include it, the processor orcontroller 14 is illustratively operable at step 722 to control one ormore of the driver circuit(s) DC to illuminate the identifiedillumination device(s) 112 according to another predefined detection orillumination scheme different from the “insufficient detection,” “objectdetection” and “access grant” schemes described above. For example, ifan object previously determined to be within the sensing region of theradiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 is determined, basedon the object detection signals produced by the radiation emission anddetection assembly 100, 130, to fail to exhibit a predefined gesture asdescribed above within a predefined time period following execution ofstep 712, the processor or controller 14 may illustratively be operableto control illumination of one or more illumination devices 112according to a “fail” illumination scheme. In one embodiment in whichthe object detection module 12 ₁ or 12 ₂ includes a plurality ofillumination devices in the form of an array 110 extending at leastpartially across the sensing region as described above with respect tothe example illustrated in FIGS. 3A-5, the processor or controller 14 isoperable to identify for illumination according to the “fail” schemethose of the illumination devices 112 which occupy the same orsubstantially the same sub-region of the sensing region as that occupiedby the object, and to control such identified illumination devices 112to illuminate with a predefined color that is different from any thatmay be used in other illumination schemes, e.g., in this case, red.Alternatively or additionally, the controller 14 may be operable at step722 to control the identified illumination devices 112 to illuminateaccording to the “fail” scheme by switching on and off at a predefinedfrequency and/or with a predefined duty cycle different from any suchpredefined frequency and/or duty cycle used in other illuminationschemes, and/or to illuminate only a subset of the illumination devicesdifferent from any subset used in other illumination schemes. Inembodiments which include more or fewer illumination devices, theprocessor or controller 14 may be operable at step 722 to control atleast one illumination device 112 to illuminate according to the “fail”illumination scheme by illuminating with at least one of a predefinedcolor, a predefined frequency and a predefined duty cycle which is/aredifferent that that/those used in other illumination schemes.

Referring now to FIG. 36, a simplified flowchart is shown of a process800 for selectively providing for (i) gesture access to the motorvehicle, with or without visual feedback, under some operatingconditions of the motor vehicle, and (ii) object impact avoidance underother operating conditions of the motor vehicle in or to which at leastone object detection module 12 is mounted. Any such object detectionmodule 12 will illustratively be implemented in the form of the objectdetection module 12 ₂ and/or the object detection module 12 ₄, either ofwhich include the radiation emission and detection assembly 130 in theform of at least one radar transmitter 132 and a plurality of radardetectors or receivers 134. In one embodiment, the process 800 isillustratively stored in the at least one memory 16 of the objectdetection module 12 in the form of instructions which, when executed bythe at least one processor or controller 14 of the object detectionmodule 12, cause the at least one processor or controller 14 to executethe corresponding functions. It will be understood that in somealternate embodiments, such instructions may be stored, in whole or inpart, in any one or more of the memory units illustrated in FIG. 1,e.g., in one or more of the memory 16 of the object detection module 12,the memory 28 of the vehicle control computer 24, the memory 44 of theactuator driver circuit(s) 40 and the memory 64 of theaudio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60, and provided to the atleast one processor or controller 14 for execution thereby. In otheralternate embodiments, such instructions, wherever stored, may beexecuted, in whole or in part, by any one or more of the processors orcontrollers illustrated in FIG. 1, e.g., by one or more of theprocessors or controllers 14, 26, 42 and 62. For purposes of thefollowing description, the process 800 will be described as beingexecuted by the processor or controller 14, it being understood that theprocess 800 may alternatively or additionally be executed, in whole orin part, by one or more of the processors or controllers 26, 42, 62.

The process 800 illustratively begins at step 802 where the processor orcontroller 14 is operable to determine whether a Key Fob signal has beendetected. Illustratively, the processor or controller 14 is operable toexecute step 802 as described above with respect to step 702 of theprocess 700. Thus, the process 800 advances along the “YES” branch ofstep 802 only if the received Key Fob signal matches at least one storedKey Fob code, such that the process 800 proceeds from step 802 only forauthorized users, i.e., only for users carrying a Key Fob 20 that isrecognizable by the object detection system 10. It will be understoodthat some embodiments of the process 800 may not include step 802, andin such embodiments the process 800 begins at step 804.

Following the “YES” branch of step 802 (in embodiments which includestep 802), the process 800 advances to step 804 where the processor orcontroller 14 is operable to monitor one or more of the vehicleoperating parameter sensors and/or switches 50 mounted to or within orotherwise carried by the motor vehicle. Illustratively, signals producedby the one or more monitored sensors and/or the status(es) of the one ormore switches monitored at step 804 are indicative of an operatingcondition or state, e.g., engine running or not, and/or of a movingcondition or state of the motor vehicle, e.g., motor vehicle stationary,moving, enabled to move, etc. As described above with respect to FIG. 1,examples of such sensors and/or switches 50 may include, but are notlimited to, an engine ignition sensor or sensing system, a vehicle speedsensor or sensing system, a transmission gear selector position sensor,sensing system or switch, a transmission gear position sensor, sensingsystem or switch, vehicle brake sensor, sensing system or switch, andthe like. Those skilled in the art will recognize other sensors and/orswitches from which an operating condition or state of the motor vehiclemay be determined, implied or estimated and/or from which a movingcondition or state of the motor vehicle may be determined, implied orestimated, and it will be understood that monitoring of any such othersensors and/or switches at step 804 is intended to fall within the scopeof this disclosure.

Following step 804, the process 800 advances to step 806 where theprocessor or controller 14 is operable to determine a mode based on themonitored vehicle sensor(s) and/or switch(es). Generally, the modedetermined by the processor or controller 14 at step 806 is a gestureaccess (GA) mode if the signal(s) produced by the monitored vehiclesensor(s) and/or the operational state(s) of the monitored switch(es)correspond to a state or condition of the motor vehicle conducive togesture access operation of the system 10, and is an object impactavoidance (OIA) mode of signal(s) produced by the monitored vehiclesensor(s) and/or the operational state(s) of the monitored switch(es)correspond to a state or condition of the motor vehicle conducive toobject impact avoidance operation of the system 10. In the former case,for example, the processor 14 may operate in the gesture access mode ifthe motor vehicle is stationary and disabled from moving, and in thelatter case, for example, the processor 14 may operate in the objectimpact avoidance mode if the motor vehicle is moving or is enabled tomove.

For purposes of this disclosure, the phrase “disabled from moving”should be understood to mean at least that the engine of the motorvehicle may or may not be running and, if the engine is running, thatone or more actuators are preventing the motor vehicle from moving inthe forward or reverse direction. In some embodiments, for example, anengine ignition switch in the “off” position means that the motorvehicle is disabled from moving, and the processor 14 may be operable atstep 806 under such conditions to set mode=GA. In other exampleembodiments, an engine ignition switch in the “run” or “on” positionmeans that the engine is running, and the processor 14 may be thenoperable at step 806 under such conditions to determine the status ofone or more other vehicle operating parameters such as the transmissionselection lever, the vehicle brakes and/or vehicle road speed. In somesuch embodiments, the processor 14 may be operable at step 806 when theengine is running to set mode=GA if, and as long as, the transmissionselection lever is in “park” or otherwise not in a selectable gear(e.g., in the case of a manual transmission) and/or the vehicle brakesare engaged and/or the vehicle speed is zero. The phrase “enabled tomove,” on the other hand, should be understood to mean at least that theengine of the motor vehicle has been started, and in some embodimentsthe processor 14 may be operable at step 806 under conditions in whichthe engine ignition switch is in the “run” or “on” position to setmode=OIA. In some embodiments in which the processor or controller 14has determined that the engine has been started, the processor 14 maythen be further operable at step 806 to determine the status of at leastone other vehicle operating parameter such as the transmission selectionlever, the vehicle brakes or vehicle road speed. In some suchembodiments, the processor 14 may be operable at step 806 when theengine is running to set mode=OIA if, and as long as, a drive gear(forward or reverse) of the motor vehicle transmission has beenselected, and/or the vehicle brakes are disengaged and/or vehicle speedis greater than zero. Those skilled in the art will recognize othervehicle operating parameters which may be used alone, in combinationwith one or more of the above-described vehicle operating parametersand/or in combination with other vehicle operating parameters todetermine when and whether the motor vehicle is disabled from moving orenabled to move, and it will be understood that any such other vehicleoperating parameters are intended to fall within the scope of thisdisclosure. Moreover, those skilled in the art will recognize othervehicle operating conditions conducive to gesture access mode ofoperation or in which gesture access mode may be safely executed, and itwill be understood that the processor or controller 14 may bealternatively configured to set mode=GA at step 806 according to anysuch other vehicle operating conditions. Further still, those skilled inthe art will recognize other vehicle operating conditions conducive toobject impact avoidance mode of operation or in which object impactavoidance mode may be safely executed, and it will be understood thatthe processor or controller 14 may be alternatively configured to setmode=OIA at step 806 according to any such other vehicle operatingconditions. It will be appreciated that configuring the processor orcontroller 14 to set mode=GA or OIA based on any such other vehicleoperating conditions will involve only mechanical steps for a skilledprogrammer.

If, at step 806, the processor or controller 14 has set mode=GA, theprocess 800 advances to step 808 to execute a GA control process. Insome embodiments, the GA control process may be the process 700illustrated in FIG. 35 and described above. As described above, theprocess 700 may be executed by or for object detection modules 12 ₂,i.e., having one or more illumination devices 112, and by or for objectdetection modules 12 ₄, i.e., which do not have any illumination devices112. It will be understood, however, that the process 800 does notspecifically require the GA control process 700 illustrated in FIG. 35,and that other gesture access control processes using a radiationemission and detection assembly 130 having at least one radartransmitter and a plurality of radar detectors may therefore bealternatively executed at step 808.

If, at step 806, the processor or controller 14 has set mode=OIA, theprocess 800 advances to step 810 to execute an OIA control process. Anexample of one such OIA process is illustrated in FIG. 37 and will bedescribed with respect thereto, although it will be understood that theprocess 800 does not specifically require the OIA control processillustrated in FIG. 37, and that other object impact avoidance controlprocesses using a radiation emission and detection assembly 130 havingat least one radar transmitter and a plurality of radar detectors maytherefore be alternatively executed at step 810. In any case, theprocess 800 illustratively loops back from either of steps 808 and 810to step 804.

Referring now to FIG. 37, a simplified flowchart is shown of anotherprocess 900 for selectively providing for (i) gesture access to themotor vehicle, with or without visual feedback, under some operatingconditions of the motor vehicle, and (ii) object impact avoidance underother operating conditions of the motor vehicle in or to which at leastone object detection module 12 is mounted. As with the process 800illustrated in FIG. 36, any such object detection module 12 willillustratively be implemented in the form of the object detection module12 ₂ and/or the object detection module 12 ₄, either of which includethe radiation emission and detection assembly 130 in the form of atleast one radar transmitter 132 and a plurality of radar detectors orreceivers or detectors 134. In one embodiment, the process 900 isillustratively stored in the at least one memory 16 of the objectdetection module 12 in the form of instructions which, when executed bythe at least one processor or controller 14 of the object detectionmodule 12, cause the at least one processor or controller 14 to executethe corresponding functions. It will be understood that in somealternate embodiments, such instructions may be stored, in whole or inpart, in any one or more of the memory units illustrated in FIG. 1,e.g., in one or more of the memory 16 of the object detection module 12,the memory 28 of the vehicle control computer 24, the memory 44 of theactuator driver circuit(s) 40 and the memory 64 of theaudio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60, and provided to the atleast one processor or controller 14 for execution thereby. In otheralternate embodiments, such instructions, wherever stored, may beexecuted, in whole or in part, by any one or more of the processors orcontrollers illustrated in FIG. 1, e.g., by one or more of theprocessors or controllers 14, 26, 42 and 62. For purposes of thefollowing description, the process 800 will be described as beingexecuted by the processor or controller 14, it being understood that theprocess 900 may alternatively or additionally be executed, in whole orin part, by one or more of the processors or controllers 26, 42, 62.

The process 900 illustratively begins at step 902 where the processor orcontroller 14 is operable to determine whether a Key Fob signal has beendetected. Illustratively, the processor or controller 14 is operable toexecute step 902 as described above with respect to step 702 of theprocess 700. Thus, the process 900 advances along the “YES” branch ofstep 902 only if the received Key Fob signal matches at least one storedKey Fob code, such that the process 900 proceeds from step 902 only forauthorized users, i.e., only for users carrying a Key Fob 20 that isrecognizable by the object detection system 10. It will be understoodthat some embodiments of the process 900 may not include step 902, andin such embodiments the process 900 begins at steps 904 and 906.

Following the “YES” branch of step 902 (in embodiments which includestep 902), the process 900 advances to steps 904 and 906. At step 904,the processor 14 is illustratively operable to execute a GA controlprocess. In some embodiments, the GA control process may be the process700 illustrated in FIG. 35 and described above. As described above, theprocess 700 may be executed by or for object detection modules 12 ₂,i.e., having one or more illumination devices 112, and by or for objectdetection modules 12 ₄, i.e., which do not have any illumination devices112. It will be understood, however, that the process 900 does notspecifically require the GA control process 700 illustrated in FIG. 35,and that other gesture access control processes using a radiationemission and detection assembly 130 having at least one radartransmitter and a plurality of radar detectors may therefore bealternatively executed at step 904.

At step 906, the processor or controller 14 is operable to determine,e.g., by monitoring the engine ignition switch included in the vehiclesensors/switches 50, whether the engine ignition status IGN is “on” or“running.” If not, the process 900 loops back to the beginning of step906. Thus, as long as the engine of the motor vehicle is not running,the processor or controller 14 will continue to execute the GA controlprocess at step 904. If, however, the processor or controller 14determines at step 906 that the engine ignition status IGN is “on” or“running,” thus indicating that the engine of the motor vehicle has beenstarted and is running, the process 900 advances to step 908 where theprocessor or controller 14 is operable to monitor one or more vehiclesensors and/or switches. Thereafter at step 910, the processor orcontroller 14 is operable to compare the signal(s) and/or state(s) ofthe monitored vehicle sensor(s) and/or switch(es) to gesture access (GA)and/or object detection (OD) conditions, and thereafter at step 912 theprocessor or controller 14 is operable to determine a mode as eithergesture access (GA) or object impact avoidance (OIA) based on thecomparison. Illustratively, the processor or controller 14 is operableto execute steps 908-912 as described above with respect to step 806 ofthe process 800.

Following step 912, the processor or controller 14 is illustrativelyoperable to determine whether the mode determined at step 912 is GA orOIA. If GA, the process 900 loops back to the beginning of steps 904 and906. Thus, with the engine running, as long as the vehicle operatingparameters correspond to gesture access operating conditions, theprocessor or controller 14 will continue to execute the GA controlprocess at step 904. However, if the processor or controller 14determines at step 914 that the mode determined at step 912 is OIA, theprocess 900 advances to step 916 where the processor or controller 14 isoperable to suspend execution of the GA control process executing atstep 904 and to execute an object impact avoidance control processbeginning at step 918.

At step 918, the processor or controller 14 is operable to monitor theobject detection assembly; more specifically, to monitor the radiationemission and detection assembly 130 of the respective object detectionmodule 12 ₂, 12 ₄ for object detection signals produced thereby, if any.Thereafter at step 920, the processor or controller 14 is operable tocompare the object detection signal(s) produced by the assembly 130 toone or more object detection parameters (ODP) stored in the memory 16(and/or stored in the memory 28, 44 or 64). In some embodiments, forexample, the one or more stored ODPs is/are satisfied by an objectdetected anywhere within the distance D2 of the radiation emission anddetection assembly 130 as illustrated in FIG. 6B and described abovewith respect thereto. In such embodiments, the detected objectsignal(s), when processed by the processor or controller 14 to determinea corresponding object detection value, thus matches at least one of theone or more stored ODPs.

Following step 920, the processor or controller 14 is operable at step922 to determine whether the one or more stored ODPs has/have beensatisfied. If so, the process 900 advances to step 924 where theprocessor or controller 14 is operable to control one or more of theactuator driver circuits 40 to control one or more correspondingactuators 48 to activate one or more corresponding object avoidancedevices, mechanisms and/or systems 50 of the motor vehicle. Examples ofsuch object avoidance devices, mechanisms and/or systems 50 may include,but are not limited to, one or more electronically controllable motorvehicle access closure latches or latching systems, an automatic (i.e.,electronically controllable) engine ignition system, an automatic (i.e.,electronically controllable) motor vehicle braking system, an automatic(i.e., electronically controllable) motor vehicle steering system, anautomated (i.e., electronically controllable) motor vehicle drivingsystem (e.g., “self-driving” or “autonomous driving” system), and thelike. Thus, depending upon the location of the object detection module12 on and relative to the motor vehicle, the processor or controller 14may execute step 924 by locking one or more electronically controllableaccess closure latches or latching systems, by automatically turning offthe engine ignition system, by activating an electrically controllablemotor vehicle braking system to automatically apply braking force tostop or slow the motor vehicle, by controlling an automatic steeringsystem so as to avoid impact with the detected object and/or bycontrolling an automated vehicle driving system so as to avoid impactwith the detected object. Those skilled in the art will recognize otherobject impact avoidance devices, mechanisms and/or systems which may becontrolled at step 924 to avoid or mitigate impact with the detectedobject, and it will be understood that any such other object impactavoidance devices, mechanism and/or systems are intended to fall withinthe scope of this disclosure. In any case, the process 900illustratively loops from step 924 back to the beginning of step 918 sothat the processor or controller 14 continues to execute the objectimpact avoidance control process of steps 918-924 as long as the one ormore stored ODP conditions continue to be satisfied.

In some embodiments, the processor or controller 14 may be additionallyoperable at step 926 to control one or more audio and/or illuminationdriver circuits 60 to activate one or more corresponding audio devicesand/or illumination devices 66. Examples of the one or more audiodevices 66 which the processor or controller 14 may activate at step 926may include, but are not limited to, a vehicle horn, one or moreelectronically controllable audible warning devices, e.g., in the formof one or more predefined alarm sounds, sequences or the like, one ormore electronically controllable audio notification devices or systems,one or more electronically controllable audio voice messaging devices orsystems, or the like. Examples of the one or more illumination devices66 which the processor or controller 14 may activate at step 926 mayinclude, but are not limited to, one or more electronically controllablevisible warning devices, one or more exterior vehicle lights, one ormore interior vehicle lights, or the like.

If at step 922, the processor or controller 14 determines that the oneor more stored ODPs is/are not, or no longer, satisfied, the process 900advances to step 926 where the processor or controller 14 is operable tocontrol the one or more actuator driver circuits 40 to reset thecorresponding one or more actuators 46 activated at step 924. If, atstep 924, the process or controller 14 activated one or more audibleand/or illumination devices 66, the processor or controller 14 isfurther operable at step 926 to reset or deactivate such one or moreactivated audible and/or illumination devices 66. Following step 926,the process 900 loops back to steps 904 and 906 where the processor orcontroller 14 is operable at step 904 to again execute the GA controlprocess and at steps 906-914 to determine whether to continue to executethe GA control process or whether to again suspend the GA process andexecute the OIA process of steps 918-924. It will be understood that ifstep 924 has not yet been executed prior to determining at step 922 thatthe ODPs is/are not satisfied, step 926 may be bypassed and the process900 may proceed directly from the “NO” branch of step 922 to steps 904and 906.

In some embodiments of the process 800 illustrated in FIG. 36, the OIAcontrol process executed at step 810 thereof may be similar or identicalto the OIA control process executed at steps 916-924 of the process 900.In other embodiments of the process 800, the OIA control processexecuted at step 810 may be or include other OIA control processes asdescribed above.

While some of the foregoing embodiments illustrated in the attacheddrawings are described above as including at least one illuminationdevice 112 for providing visual feedback during gesture accessoperation, any of the object detection modules 12 which include at leastone illumination device 112 may alternatively include at least oneaudible device responsive to at least one control signal to produce atleast one audible signal. In some such embodiments, at least one audibledevice may be configured to produce sounds of different volumes and/orfrequencies. In other such embodiments, two or more audible devices maybe included, each producing sound with a different volume and/orfrequency. In any such embodiments, the at least one audible device maybe controlled to switch on and off with a predefined frequency and/orduty cycle. In some such embodiments which include multiple audibledevices, at least two of the multiple audible devices may be controlledto switch on and off with different frequencies and/or duty cycles.

Referring now to FIG. 38, another embodiment of a gesture access systemfor a motor vehicle 10′ is shown which includes another embodiment of anobject detection module 12′. The gesture access system 10′ is identicalin many respects to the object detection system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1and described above. Components of the system 10′ in common with thoseof the system 10 are accordingly identified with like reference numbers,and descriptions thereof will be omitted here for brevity, it beingunderstood that the above descriptions of such components apply equallyto those of the system 10′ illustrated in FIG. 38.

The system 10′ illustrated in FIG. 38 differs from that of the system 10in at least three respects; (1) the system 10′ utilizes ultra-wideband(UWB) circuitry and signals to determine the proximity, relative to themotor vehicle, of a UWB circuit-equipped mobile communication device(MCD) 34 known to the system 10′, (2) the system 10′ is operable in agesture access mode to utilize the same and/or additional UWB circuitryperform object detection for the purpose of evaluating gestures based onemitted 36 and reflected 38 UWB signals and, upon recognition of atleast one predetermined gesture, unlocking, locking, automaticallyopening and/or automatically closing an access closure of a motorvehicle, and (3) the system 10′ is operable only in the gesture accessmode if the MCD is determined to be within a perimeter defined about themotor vehicle and is otherwise operable in an inactive mode in whichreflected UWB signals are not received or are not acted upon. Suchoperational features of the system 10′ are described in detail below.

To accomplish the foregoing operational features, the system 10′illustratively includes a number, M, of conventional ultra-wideband(UWB) signal transceivers 32, where M may by any positive integer.Illustratively, each transceiver 32 operates in the conventional UWBrange, e.g., any frequency or frequency range greater than 500 MHz, andis configured to wirelessly transmit and receive UWB signals. Inalternate embodiments, one or more of the transceivers 32 may instead beprovided in the form of a conventional UWB signal transmitter and aconventional (separate or paired) UWB receiver. In some embodiments, theone or more UWB transceiver(s) is/are operatively (i.e.,communicatively, via hardwire and/or wireless connection) connectedsolely to the vehicle control computer 24 as depicted in FIG. 38 by thesolid-line connection. In some alternate embodiments, at least one UWBtransceiver 32 is connected solely to, and/or carried solely by, theobject detection module 12′ as depicted in FIG. 38 by the dash-lineconnection 33, and in other alternate embodiments one or more UWBtransceiver(s) 32 is/are operatively connected to the vehicle controlcomputer 24 and at least one UWB transceiver is connected to, and/orcarried by, the object detection module 12′. It will be understood thatany embodiment of the system 10′ may include one or more of the objectdetection modules 12′, each of which is operatively (i.e.,communicatively, via hardwire and/or wireless connection) connected tothe vehicle control computer 24 as depicted in FIG. 38 by the solid-lineconnection 31. Each of the one or more object detection modules 12′includes, at a minimum, a processor or controller 14 and a memory 16 asdescribed above with respect to FIG. 1. Various example embodiments ofthe object detection module 12′ are illustrated in FIGS. 40-43 and willbe described in detail below.

Referring now to FIG. 39, an example embodiment of the system 10′ ofFIG. 38 is shown implemented in a motor vehicle 70. It will beunderstood that while not all of the components of the system 10′illustrated in FIG. 38 are shown in FIG. 39, such non-illustratedcomponents are present in the system 10′ of FIG. 39. In the illustratedembodiment, the motor vehicle 70 illustratively has five access closuresin the form of two conventional forward vehicle doors 72A, 72B, tworearward vehicle doors 76A, 76B and a conventional rear hatch 80. Theforward doors 72A, 72B illustratively each have an access handle 74A,74B respectively mounted thereto, the rearward doors 76A, 76B each have72C and 72D each having an access handle 78A, 78B respectively mountedthereto and the rear had 80 has an access handle 82 mounted thereto. Insome embodiments, either or both of the rearward doors 76A, 76B may beprovided in the form of conventional hinged (i.e., swinging) doors, andin other embodiments either or both of the rearward doors 76A, 76B maybe provided in the form of conventional sliding doors which may or maynot include power-assisted or power-controlled opening/closing. In otheralternate embodiments, either or both of the rearward doors 76A, 76B maybe omitted. In some alternate embodiments, the rear hatch 80 may insteadby a conventional trunk lid. In either case, the rear hatch or trunk lid80 may include power-assisted or power-controlled opening and/orclosing, and in such cases the motor vehicle 70 includes a power module84, including at least one drive motor.

The vehicle control computer 24 is suitably mounted in the motor vehicle70, and is electrically connected to number, N, of object detectionmodules 12, 12′ as well as to a number, M, of UWB transceivers 32. Inthis example, the UWB transceivers 32 are operatively connected, e.g.,via any number of conventional electrical wires or wirelessly, to thevehicle control computer 24 but not to any of the object detectionmodules 12, 12′, although in alternate embodiments one or more of theUWB transceivers 32 may alternatively or additionally operativelyconnected directly, e.g., wired or wirelessly, to a respective one ormore of the object detection modules 12, 12′. In the illustratedexample, N=5 as an object detection module 12, 12′ is mounted to or neareach access handle 74A, 74B, 76A, 76B and 82, although in alternateembodiments more or fewer object detection modules 12, 12′ may bemounted to the motor vehicle 70 at any desired location. Also in theillustrated example, M=8 as eight UWB transceivers 32 ₁-32 ₈ are mountedto the motor vehicle 70 at various different locations. For example, aUWB transceiver 32 ₁ at the front of the vehicle 70, UWB transceivers 32₂-32 ₆ at each closure 72A, 76A, 80, 76B, 72B respectively, and UWBtransceivers 32 ₇, 32 ₈ centrally on and along the top of the vehicle70. In alternate embodiments, more or fewer UWB transceivers 32 may bemounted to the motor vehicle 70 at various locations.

As also illustrated in FIG. 39, the mobile communication device (MCD) 34illustratively has at least a conventional processor or controller 86and a UWB transceiver 88. The MCD 34 and the vehicle control computer 24(and/or one or more of the object detection modules 12, 12′ in someembodiments) are both capable of wirelessly communicating with oneanother via control of their respective UWB transceivers 32, 88according to conventional UWB communication protocol. In one embodiment,the MCD 34 is a smart phone equipped with a UWB transceiver 88, althoughin other embodiments the MCD may be any mobile electronic deviceequipped with a UWB transceiver 88 and additional circuitry configuredto communicate with the vehicle control computer 24 via a conventionalUWB communication protocol, such as a key fob or other mobile electronicdevice carried by or on an operator of the motor vehicle.

In the context of this disclosure, a particular MCD 34 will be capableof UWB communications with a particular vehicle control computer 24(and/or by the processor/controller 14 of at least one of the objectdetection modules 12, 12′) of a particular motor vehicle 70 and/or viceversa if the particular MCD 34 and/or component(s) thereof is/are knownto the particular vehicle control computer 24 (and/or by theprocessor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detection modules12, 12′) and/or if the particular vehicle control computer 24 and/or themotor vehicle 70 itself and/or the processor/controller 14 of at leastone of the object detection modules 12, 12′) is/are known to the MCD 34.In the former case, the particular MCD 34 will be, for example, ownedby, or otherwise in the possession of, an operator of the motor vehicle70, and in the latter case the particular motor vehicle 70 (carrying theparticular vehicle control computer 24 and/or process/or controller 14of at least one of the objection detection modules 12, 12′) will be, forexample, a motor vehicle 70 for which the owner or possessor of theparticular MCD 34 is an operator.

The particular MCD 34 will be known to the vehicle control computer 24(and/or by the processor/controller 14 of at least one of the objectdetection modules 12, 12′) of the particular motor vehicle 70 if the twohave been previously linked, paired or otherwise configured, in aconventional manner, for UWB communications with the other to theexclusion, with respect to the particular MCD 34, of vehicle controlcomputers 24 of other motor vehicles 70, and to the exclusion, withrespect to the particular motor vehicle 70, of other MOD's 34 that havenot been previously linked, paired or otherwise configured for UWBcommunications therewith. It is contemplated that two or more particularMOD's 34 may be so linked, paired or otherwise configured for UWBcommunications with the vehicle control computer 24 (and/or with theprocessor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detection modules12, 12′) of a particular motor vehicle 70, e.g., to accommodate 2nd,3rd, etc. operators of the motor vehicle 70.

In one embodiment, the particular MCD(s) 34 linked, paired or otherwiseconfigured for UWB communications with the particular vehicle controlcomputer 24 (and/or with the processor/controller 14 of at least one ofthe object detection modules 12, 12′) is/are, as a result of thelinking, pairing or configuration process, illustratively operable tothereafter transmit unique identification information as part of, orappended to, UWB signals transmitted by the UWB transceiver(s) 88.Alternatively or additionally, the particular vehicle control computer24 (and/or the processor/controller 14 of at least one of the objectdetection modules 12, 12′) linked, paired or otherwise configured forUWB communications with the particular MCD(s) 34 may be, as a result ofthe linking, pairing or configuration process, thereafter operable totransmit unique identification information as part of, or appended to,UWB signals transmitted by one or more of the UWB transceivers 32. Suchidentification information may be or include, for example, but notlimited to, information identifying the processor/controller 86 of theparticular MCD 34, the UWB transceiver 88 of the particular MCD 34,information identifying the particular MCD 34 itself, informationidentifying the particular vehicle control computer 24 (and/or with theprocessor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detection modules12, 12′) of the particular motor vehicle 70, information identifying oneor more of the UWB transceivers 32 of the particular motor vehicle 70,information identifying the particular motor vehicle 70 itself, anycombination thereof, and/or other identification information unique tothe particular MCD 34/motor vehicle 70 pair. In any case, UWBcommunication, via one or more of the UWB transceivers 32 of aparticular motor vehicle 70 and a UWB transceiver 88 of a particular MCD34, in the context of this disclosure, may only be conducted between thevehicle control computer 24 (and/or the processor/controller 14 of atleast one of the object detection modules 12, 12′) of that particularmotor vehicle 70 and the processor/controller 14 of that (or those)particular MCD(s) 34 by transmitting by one or the other or both, aspart of or along with transmitted UWB signals, unique identificationinformation known to the other resulting from having been previouslylinked, paired or otherwise configured for UWB communications with oneanother. In this regard, in the context of the example implementationillustrated in FIG. 39, it will be understood that the MCD 34 (or one ormore components thereof) is thus known to the vehicle control computer24 (and/or to the processor/controller 14 of at least one of the objectdetection modules 12, 12′) of the illustrated motor vehicle 70 and/orvice versa, having been previously linked, paired or otherwiseconfigured for UWB communications with one another.

Further illustrated in FIG. 39 is a perimeter, P, surrounding the motorvehicle 70, which represents a boundary within which UWB communicationsbetween the processor/controller 86 of the MCD 34 and the processor 26(and/or the processor/controller 14 of at least one of the objectdetection modules 12, 12′) of the motor vehicle 70 can take place or arepermitted to take place, and beyond which such UWB communications cannottake place or are not permitted. Generally, UWB communications has arange of approximately 30 feet. In one embodiment the perimeter, P,accordingly defines approximately a 30 feet boundary about the motorvehicle such that when the MCD 34 is within the perimeter, P, asillustrated by example in FIG. 39, the MCD 34 is generally within UWBcommunication range of the motor vehicle 70 (and is thus considered tobe “in-range”), and when the MCD 34 is beyond or outside of theperimeter, P, the MCD 34 is generally outside of UWB communication rangeof the motor vehicle 70 (and is thus considered to be “out-of-range”).In this embodiment, the perimeter, P, is thus defined as approximatelythe boundary of UWB communications between the MCD 34 and the motorvehicle 70. In alternate embodiments, the perimeter P may be defined tobe any arbitrary boundary about the motor vehicle 70 (or about anyparticular one, set or subset of the UWB transceivers 32). In any case,for purposes of this disclosure, when the MCD 34 is determined to bewithin the perimeter, P, the object detection module(s) 12, 12′ is/areconfigured to operate in the gesture access mode, and when the MCD 34 isotherwise determined to be beyond or outside of the perimeter, P, theobject detection module(s) 12, 12′ is/are configured to operate in theinactive mode, as these modes are briefly described above. In thisregard, a convenient perimeter, P, is approximately the communicationrange of the UWB transceivers 32, 88, although alternate perimeters arecontemplated as described above. Moreover, in some alternateembodiments, the perimeter, P, may be defined only by and about one or asubset of the total set of UWB transceivers 32, and/or the perimeter, P,may not be smooth as illustrated by example in FIG. 39, but may insteadbe non-smoothly formed by piecewise, intersecting segments.

Referring now to FIG. 40, one example embodiment 12′₁ is shown of theobject detection module 12′ illustrated in FIG. 38. In the illustratedembodiment, the object detection module 12′₁ includes an embodiment 14′₁of the at least one processor or controller 14 as well as an embodiment16′₁ of the at least one memory unit 16, as illustrated in FIG. 38. Asdescribed hereinabove, it will be understood that the terms “processor”and “controller” used in this disclosure is comprehensive of anycomputer, processor, microchip processor, integrated circuit, or anyother element(s), whether singly or in multiple parts, capable ofcarrying programming for performing the functions specified in theclaims and this written description. The at least one processor orcontroller 14′₁ may be a single such element which is resident on aprinted circuit board with the other elements of the inventive accesssystem. It may, alternatively, reside remotely from the other elementsof the system. For example, but without limitation, the at least oneprocessor or controller 14′₁ may take the form of a physical processoror controller on-board the object detection module 12′₁. Alternately oradditionally, the at least one processor or controller 14′₁ may be orinclude programming in the at least one processor or controller 26 ofthe vehicle control computer 24 illustrated in FIG. 38. Alternatively oradditionally still, the at least one processor or controller 14′₁ may beor include programming in the at least one processor or controller 42 ofthe actuator driver circuit(s) 40 and/or in the at least one processoror controller 62 of the audio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60and/or in at least one processor or controller residing in any locationwithin the motor vehicle in which the system 10′ is located. Forinstance, and without limitation, it is contemplated that one or moreoperations associated with one or more functions of the object detectionmodule 12′₁ described herein may be carried out, i.e., executed, by afirst microprocessor and/or other control circuit(s) on-board the objectdetection module 12′₁, while one or more operations associated with oneor more other functions of the object detection module 12′₁ describedherein may be carried out, i.e., executed, by a second microprocessorand/or other circuit(s) remote from the object detection module 12′₁,e.g., such as the processor or controller 26 on-board the vehiclecontrol computer 24.

The example object detection module 12′₁ illustrated in FIG. 40 furtherillustratively includes number N of conventional supporting circuits(SC) 114 ₁-114 _(N), wherein N may be any positive integer. Thesupporting circuit(s) (SC) is/are each electrically connected to theprocessor or controller 14′₁, and may include one or more conventionalcircuits configured to support the operation of the processor orcontroller 14′₁ as described above with respect to FIGS. 2, 6A, 7 and 8.Example supporting circuits SC may include, but are not limited to, oneor more voltage supply regulation circuits, one or more capacitors, oneor more resistors, one or more inductors, one or more oscillatorcircuits, and the like. In embodiments in which one or more of the UWBtransceivers 32 is/are operatively connected to the object detectionmodule 12′₁, the supporting circuits SC may further include conventionalcircuitry for conditioning or otherwise pre-processing signals producedby the UWB transceiver(s) 32 and fed directly or sent by the controlcomputer 24 to the object detection module 12′₁ or, in embodiments inwhich UWB transceiver signals are sent wireless to the object detectionmodule 12′₁ by the UWB transceiver(s) 32 and/or the control computer 24,the supporting circuits SC may further include conventional circuitryfor wirelessly receiving the UWB transceiver signals. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 40, the at least one processor or controller 14′₁and the supporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) are all mounted to aconventional circuit substrate 116′ which is illustratively mountedwithin a housing 118′.

In the example embodiment 12′₁ illustrated in FIG. 40, the UWBtransceiver(s) of the system 10′ are external to the object detectionmodule 12′₁ and is/are illustratively mounted to the motor vehicle,e.g., as illustrated by example in FIG. 39. In one implementation ofthis embodiment, the memory device(s) 16′₁ illustratively has/haveinstructions stored therein executable by the processor(s) orcontroller(s) 14′₁ to process signals produced by the UWB transceiver(s)32 to operate in the gesture access or inactive mode as described above,depending upon whether a known mobile communication device 34 isdetermined, as described above, to be within or outside of the perimeterP, e.g., within or out of UWB signal communication range. In some suchimplementations, the UWB transceiver signals may be raw or conditionedtransceiver signals sent by the UWB transceiver(s) 32 or the controlcomputer 24. In such implementations the memory device(s) 16′₁ includesinstructions stored therein executable by the processor(s) orcontroller(s) 14′₁ to process such UWB signals to determine timedifference values each between a different one of a plurality of UWBactivation signals, i.e., control signals produced by the controlcomputer 24 or the processor(s)/controller(s) 14′₁ to cause the UWBtransceiver(s) 32 to emit one or more UWB radiation signals outwardlyaway from the motor vehicle, and a respective UWB radiation detectionsignal, i.e., a UWB radiation signal reflected by an object back towardand detected by the respective UWB transceiver 32, as describedhereinabove with respect to the system 10. If operating in the gestureaccess mode, as briefly described above and as will be described ingreater detail below, the at least one memory device 16′₁ further hasstored therein instructions executable by the at least one processor orcontroller 14′₁ to process a plurality of successive ones of the timedifference values to determine whether an object is within the sensingregion of the respective UWB transceiver 32 (wherein the sensing regionis as described above with respect to the system 10) and to determinewhether the object within the sensing region of the respective UWBtransceiver 32 is exhibiting a predefined gesture (also as describedabove with respect to the system 10). The predefined gesture isillustratively stored in the memory device(s) 16′₁ in the form of apredefined sequence of time difference values or other suitable form. Ifoperating in the inactive mode, as briefly described above and as willbe described in greater detail below, the at least one memory device16′₁ further has instructions stored therein executable by the at leastone processor or controller 14′₁ to not act on, i.e., ignore, UWBradiation detection signals if received directly from the UWBtransceiver(s) 32 and/or from the control computer 24 in any form. Insome alternate embodiments in which the object detection module 12′₁receives the UWB detection signals from the control computer 24, thecontrol computer 24 may be configured to withhold, i.e., to not send ortransmit, the UWB detection signals to the object detection module 12′₁when operating in the inactive mode, and in such embodiments the objectdetection module 12′₁ does not receive UWB detection signals whenoperating in the inactive mode. In some alternate implementations, theUWB transceiver signals may be processed by the control computer 24 todetermine the time difference values, and to then send or transmit theUWB transceiver activation and reflection signals to the objectdetection module 12′₁ in the form of a plurality of time differencevalues, and the instructions stored in the memory device(s) 16′₁ includeinstructions executable by the processor(s) or controller(s) 14′₁ toprocess the received time difference values as just described.

Referring now to FIG. 41, another one example embodiment 12′₂ is shownof the object detection module 12′ illustrated in FIG. 38. In theillustrated embodiment, the object detection module 12′₂ includes anembodiment 14′₂ of the at least one processor or controller 14 as wellas an embodiment 16′₂ of the at least one memory unit 16, wherein theterms “processor” and “controller” are as described above with respectto the embodiment 12′₁ of the object detection module 12′. The objectdetection module 12′₂ further illustratively includes number N ofconventional supporting circuits (SC) 114 ₁-114 _(N) and driver circuits(DC) operatively connected to the at least one processor 14′₂, wherein Nmay be any positive integer. The supporting circuit(s) (SC) may be asdescribed above with respect to the embodiment 12′₁ of the objectdetection module 12′. In the example embodiment 12′₂ illustrated in FIG.41, the UWB transceiver(s) of the system 10′ are, like the embodiment12′₁, external to the object detection module 12′₂ and is/areillustratively mounted to the motor vehicle, e.g., as illustrated byexample in FIG. 39.

The embodiment of the object detection module 12′₂ illustrated in FIG.41 further includes one or more illumination devices 112. In someembodiments which include a plurality of illumination devices 112, theillumination devices 112 may be spaced apart at least partially acrossthe sensing region of the nearest UWB transceiver(s) 32, and in otherembodiments the illumination devices 112 may be positioned remotely fromthe sensing region. In some embodiments, the illumination devices 112may be arranged in the form of a linear or non-linear array 110 ofequally or non-equally spaced-apart illumination devices. In someembodiments, the at least one illumination device 112 includes at leastone LED configured to emit radiation in the visible spectrum. In suchembodiments, the at least one LED may be configured to produce visiblelight in a single color or in multiple colors. In alternate embodiments,the plurality of illumination sources may include one or moreconventional non-LED illumination sources.

The one or more illumination devices 112 is/are illustratively includedto provide visual feedback of one or more conditions relating todetection of an object within a sensing region of the UWB transceiver(s)32. In one example embodiment, two illumination devices 112 may beprovided for producing the desired visual feedback. In oneimplementation of this example embodiment, a first one of theillumination devices 112 may be configured and controlled to illuminatewith a first color to visibly indicate the detected presence of anobject within the sensing region, and the second illumination device 112may be configured and controlled to illuminate with a second color,different from the first, to visibly indicate that the detected objectexhibits a predefined gesture. In another example embodiment, threeillumination devices 112 may be provided. In this embodiment, a firstone of the illumination devices 112 may be controlled to illuminate witha first color to visibly indicate the detected presence of an objectwithin an area of the sensing region in which it is not possible todetermine whether the detected object exhibits a predefined gesture(e.g., the object may be within a sub-region of the sensing region whichis too small to allow determination of whether the object exhibits thepredefined gesture), a second one of the illumination devices 112 iscontrolled to illuminate with a second color to visibly indicate thedetected presence of an object within an area of the sensing region inwhich it is possible to determine whether the detected object exhibits apredefined gesture, and a third one of the illumination devices iscontrolled to illuminate with a third color to visibly indicate that theobject within the sensing region is exhibiting a predefined gesture.

In other embodiments, the one or more illumination devices 112 mayinclude any number of illumination devices. Multiple illuminationdevices 112, for example, may be illuminated in one or more colors toprovide a desired visual feedback. In any such embodiments, in one ormore illumination devices 112 may be LEDs, and one or more such LEDs mayillustratively be provided in the form of RGB LEDs capable ofillumination in more than one color. According to this variant, it willbe appreciated that positive visual indication of various states ofoperation may be carried out in numerous different colors, with eachsuch color indicative of a different state of operation of the objectdetection module 12′₂. As one non-limiting example, the color red mayserve to indicate detection of an object (e.g., a hand or foot) within aportion of the sensing region in which it cannot be determined whetherthe detected object is exhibiting a predefined gesture. The color green,in contrast, may serve to indicate that the detected object isexhibiting a predefined gesture and, consequently, that the predefinedvehicle command associated with that predefined gesture (e.g., unlockingthe vehicle closure, opening the vehicle closure, etc.) is beingeffected. In addition to green, other colors might be uniquelyassociated with different predefined commands. Thus, while greenillumination might reflect that a closure for the vehicle is beingunlocked, blue illumination, for example, may reflect that a fuel doorlatch has been opened, purple illumination may reflect that a window isbeing opened, etc.

In still other embodiments, in addition to or alternatively to colordistinction, different operating modes, i.e., different detection oroperating modes may be visually distinguished from one another bycontrolling the at least one illumination device 112 to switch on andoff with different respective frequencies and/or duty cycles. In someembodiments which include multiple illumination devices 112, thedifferent detection or operating modes may be additionally oralternatively distinguished visually from one another by activatingdifferent subsets of the multiple illumination devices 112 for differentoperating or detection modes, and/or by sequentially activating themultiple illumination devices 112 or subsets thereof with differentrespective activation frequencies and/or duty cycles. In any case, theoutput(s) of the driver circuit(s) (DC) is/are operatively connected tothe one or more illumination devices 112 as illustrated by example inFIG. 41. The one or more driver circuits DC may illustratively be orinclude any conventional circuits for driving, i.e., actuating, the oneor more illumination devices 112.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 41, the at least one processor orcontroller 14′₂, the supporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) and theone or more illumination devices 112 are all mounted to a conventionalcircuit substrate 116′ which is illustratively mounted within a housing118′. In alternate embodiments, the circuit substrate 116′ may beprovided in the form of two or more separate circuit substrates, and insuch embodiments one or more of the illumination devices 112, the atleast one processor or controller 14′₂ and the supporting/drivercircuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) may be mounted to a first one of the two or morecircuit substrates and remaining one(s) of the one or more of theillumination devices 112, the at least one processor or controller 14′₂and the supporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) may be mounted toother(s) of the two or more circuit substrates. In some suchembodiments, all such circuit substrates may be mounted to and/or withina single housing 118′, and in other embodiments at least one of the twoor more of the circuit substrates may be mounted to and/or within thehousing 118′ and one or more others of the two or more circuitsubstrates may be mounted to or within one or more other housings. Inembodiments which the object detection module 12′₂ includes multiplehousings, two or more such housings may be mounted to the motor vehicleat or near a single location, and in other embodiments at least one ofthe multiple housings may be mounted to the motor vehicle at a firstlocation and at least another of the multiple housings may be mounted tothe motor vehicle at a second location remote from the first location.

In one implementation of the embodiment 12′₂ illustrated in FIG. 41, thememory device(s) 16′₂ illustratively has/have instructions storedtherein executable by the processor(s) or controller(s) 14′₂ to processsignals produced by the UWB transceiver(s) 32 to operate in the gestureaccess or inactive mode, according to any of the different waysdescribed above with respect to the embodiment 12′₁, depending uponwhether a known mobile communication device 34 is determined, asdescribed above, to be within or outside of the perimeter P, e.g.,within or out of UWB signal communication range. Additionally in thisembodiment, the memory device(s) 16′₂ further illustratively has/haveinstructions stored therein executable by the processor(s) orcontroller(s) 14′₂ to control the illumination device(s) 112 accordingto any of the different ways just described.

Referring now to FIG. 42, yet another example embodiment 12′₃ is shownof the object detection module 12′ illustrated in FIG. 38. In theillustrated embodiment, the object detection module 12′₃ includes anembodiment 14′₃ of the at least one processor or controller 14 as wellas an embodiment 16′₃ of the at least one memory unit 16, wherein theterms “processor” and “controller” are as described above with respectto the embodiment 12′₁ of the object detection module 12′. As with theexample object detection module 12′₁ illustrated in FIG. 40, the objectdetection module 12′₃ further illustratively includes number N ofconventional supporting circuits (SC) 114 ₁-114 _(N) operativelyconnected to the at least one processor 14′₃, wherein N may be anypositive integer. The supporting circuit(s) (SC) may be as describedabove with respect to the embodiment 12′₁ of the object detection module12′.

In the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 42, the object detectionmodule 12′₃ illustratively includes a number, M, of UWB transceivers100′, where M many be any positive integer. In some embodiments, themotor vehicle may also include any number of the UWB transceivers 32,e.g., as illustrated by example in FIG. 39, and in other embodiments themotor vehicle may not include any UWB transceivers 32 such that all ofthe UWB transceivers carried by the motor vehicle is/are that/thoseincluded with the one or more object detection modules 12′₃. In anycase, the UWB transceiver(s) 100′ may be as described above with respectto the UWB transceivers 32.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 42, the at least one processor orcontroller 14′₃, the supporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) and theone or more UWB transceivers 100′ are all mounted to a conventionalcircuit substrate 116′ which is illustratively mounted within a housing118′. In alternate embodiments, the circuit substrate 116′ may beprovided in the form of two or more separate circuit substrates, and insuch embodiments one or more of the UWB transceiver(s) 100′, the atleast one processor or controller 14′₃ and the supporting/drivercircuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) may be mounted to a first one of the two or morecircuit substrates and remaining one(s) of the one or more of the UWBtransceiver(s) 100′, the at least one processor or controller 14′₃ andthe supporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) may be mounted to other(s)of the two or more circuit substrates. In one example of this alternateembodiment, which should not be considered to be limiting in any way,the UWB transceiver(s) 100′ may all be mounted to a one substrate andthe remaining components may be mounted to a separate substrate. In anysuch embodiments, all such circuit substrates may be mounted to and/orwithin a single housing 118′, and in other embodiments at least one ofthe two or more of the circuit substrates may be mounted to and/orwithin the housing 118′ and one or more others of the two or morecircuit substrates may be mounted to or within one or more otherhousings. In embodiments which the object detection module 12′₃ includesmultiple housings, two or more such housings may be mounted to the motorvehicle at or near a single location, and in other embodiments at leastone of the multiple housings may be mounted to the motor vehicle at afirst location and at least another of the multiple housings may bemounted to the motor vehicle at a second location remote from the firstlocation.

In embodiments in which one or more UWB transceivers 32 is/are mountedto the motor vehicle in addition to the one or more UWB transceivers100′ , and as illustrated by example in FIG. 39, the memory device(s)16′₃ illustratively has/have instructions stored therein executable bythe processor(s) or controller(s) 14′₃ to control activation of the oneor more UWB transceivers 100′ and to process corresponding reflected UWBradiation signals, i.e., reflected by an object, to operate in thegesture access or inactive mode as described above, depending uponwhether a known mobile communication device 34 is determined, either bythe control computer 24 via the UWB transceivers 32 or by theprocessor(s)/controller(s) 14′₃ via the UWB transceiver(s) 32 and/or viathe UWB transceiver(s) 100′, to be within or outside of the perimeter P,e.g., within or out of UWB signal communication range. In otherembodiments in which no UWB transceivers 32 is/are mounted to the motorvehicle, the memory device(s) 16′₃ illustratively has/have instructionsstored therein executable by the processor(s) or controller(s) 14′₃ tocontrol activation of the one or more UWB transceivers 100′ and toprocess corresponding reflected UWB radiation signals to operate in thegesture access or inactive mode as described above, depending uponwhether a known mobile communication device 34 is determined, by theprocessor(s)/controller(s) 14′₃ via the UWB transceiver(s) 100′, to bewithin or outside of the perimeter P.

Referring now to FIG. 43, still another example embodiment 12′₄ is shownof the object detection module 12′ illustrated in FIG. 38. In theillustrated embodiment, the object detection module 12′₄ includes anembodiment 14′₄ of the at least one processor or controller 14 as wellas an embodiment 16′₄ of the at least one memory unit 16, wherein theterms “processor” and “controller” are as described above with respectto the embodiment 12′₁ of the object detection module 12′. As with theexample object detection module 12′₂ illustrated in FIG. 41, the objectdetection module 12′₄ further illustratively includes number N ofconventional supporting circuits (SC) 114 ₁-114 _(N) and driver circuits(DC) operatively connected to the at least one processor 14′₄, wherein Nmay be any positive integer. The supporting circuit(s) (SC) and drivercircuits (DC) may be as described above.

In the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 43, the object detectionmodule 12′₄ illustratively includes a number, M, of UWB transceivers100′, where M many be any positive integer, where the UWB transceivers100′ may be as described above. In some embodiments, the motor vehiclemay also include any number of the UWB transceivers 32, e.g., asillustrated by example in FIG. 39, and in other embodiments the motorvehicle may not include any UWB transceivers 32 such that all of the UWBtransceivers carried by the motor vehicle is/are that/those includedwith the one or more object detection modules 12′₄. Also in the exampleembodiment illustrated in FIG. 43, the object detection module 12′₄further includes one or more illumination device 112 operativelyconnected to the one or more driver circuits (DC). The one or moreillumination devices may take any of the forms, and be controlled tooperate, as described above with respect to the embodiment 12′₂illustrated in FIG. 41.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 43, the at least one processor orcontroller 14′₄, the supporting/driver circuits 114 ₁-114 _(N), the oneor more UWB transceivers 100′ and the one or more illumination devices112 are all mounted to a conventional circuit substrate 116′ which isillustratively mounted within a housing 118′. In alternate embodiments,the circuit substrate 116′ may be provided in the form of two or moreseparate circuit substrates, and in such embodiments one or more of theUWB transceiver(s) 100′, the one or more illumination devices 112, theat least one processor or controller 14′₄ and the supporting/drivercircuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) may be mounted to a first one of the two or morecircuit substrates and remaining one(s) of the one or more of the UWBtransceiver(s) 100′, the one or more illumination devices 112, the atleast one processor or controller 14′₄ and the supporting/drivercircuits 114 ₁-114 _(N) may be mounted to other(s) of the two or morecircuit substrates. In such embodiments, all such circuit substrates maybe mounted to and/or within a single housing 118′, and in otherembodiments at least one of the two or more of the circuit substratesmay be mounted to and/or within the housing 118′ and one or more othersof the two or more circuit substrates may be mounted to or within one ormore other housings. In embodiments which the object detection module12′₄ includes multiple housings, two or more such housings may bemounted to the motor vehicle at or near a single location, and in otherembodiments at least one of the multiple housings may be mounted to themotor vehicle at a first location and at least another of the multiplehousings may be mounted to the motor vehicle at a second location remotefrom the first location.

In embodiments in which one or more UWB transceivers 32 is/are mountedto the motor vehicle in addition to the one or more UWB transceivers100′ , and as illustrated by example in FIG. 39, the memory device(s)16′₄ illustratively has/have instructions stored therein executable bythe processor(s) or controller(s) 14′₄ to control activation of the oneor more UWB transceivers 100′ and to process corresponding reflected UWBradiation signals, i.e., reflected by an object, to operate in thegesture access or inactive mode as described above, depending uponwhether a known mobile communication device 34 is determined, either bythe control computer 24 via the UWB transceivers 32 or by theprocessor(s)/controller(s) 14′₄ via the UWB transceiver(s) 32 and/or viathe UWB transceiver(s) 100′, to be within or outside of the perimeter P,e.g., within or out of UWB signal communication range, and to controloperation, i.e., activation and deactivation, of the one or moreillumination devices 112 as described above with respect to the objectdetection module 12′₂ illustrated in FIG. 41. In other embodiments inwhich no UWB transceivers 32 is/are mounted to the motor vehicle, thememory device(s) 16′₄ illustratively has/have instructions storedtherein executable by the processor(s) or controller(s) 14′₄ to controlactivation of the one or more UWB transceivers 100′ and to processcorresponding reflected UWB radiation signals to operate in the gestureaccess or inactive mode as described above, depending upon whether aknown mobile communication device 34 is determined, by theprocessor(s)/controller(s) 14′₄ via the UWB transceiver(s) 100′, to bewithin or outside of the perimeter P, and to control operation, i.e.,activation and deactivation, of the one or more illumination devices 112as described above with respect to the object detection module 12′₂illustrated in FIG. 41.

Referring now to FIG. 44, a simplified flowchart is shown of a process930 for determining whether a known mobile communication device (MCD)34, i.e., known to the control computer 24 of the motor vehicle and/orto the at least one processor or controller 14 of one or more objectdetection modules 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle, is within ouroutside of the perimeter, P, illustrated by example in FIG. 39. An MCD34 will be known to the control computer 24 of the motor vehicle and/orto the at least one processor or controller 14 of one or more objectdetection modules 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle if, as describedabove with respect to FIG. 39, the MCD 34 has been previously paired,linked or otherwise configured in a conventional manner for UWBcommunications with the control computer 24 and/or with the at least oneprocessor or controller 14 of one or more object detection modules 12′to the exclusion, with respect to the particular MCD 34, of vehiclecontrol computers 24 and/or object detection modules 12′ of other motorvehicles, and to the exclusion, with respect to the control computer 24of the particular motor vehicle, of other MOD's 34 that have not beenpreviously linked, paired or otherwise configured for UWB communicationstherewith. In any case, the at least one processor or controller 26 ofthe vehicle control computer 24, or in some embodiments, the at leastone processor or controller 14 of one or more of the object detectionmodules 12′, is configured to produce a mobile device status signal(MDSS) having a state or value which depends on whether the particularMCD 34 is within or outside of the perimeter P.

In the example process 930 illustrated in FIG. 44, the perimeter, P, isillustratively implemented in the form of a communication boundarydefined by the range of UWB signal communications, i.e., within theperimeter, P, the UWB transceiver 88 of a known MCD 34 is within UWBcommunication range of one or more of the UWB transceivers 32 mounted tothe motor vehicle and/or the UWB transceiver 100′ of one or more objectdetection modules 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle, and outside of theperimeter, P, the UWB transceiver 88 is outside of UWB communicationrange with the transceivers 32, 100′. The actual range of UWB signalcommunications, and thus the boundary, P, defined thereby,illustratively depends on a number of factors including, for example,but not limited to, the actual UWB frequency or frequencies used, thesignal strengths implemented in the UWB transceivers 34 and 88, batterycharge level (in the case of the MCD 34), and the environment in whichthe motor vehicle is located (e.g., in a garage or other indoor locationvs. outside, in an open area vs. crowded parking garage, etc.). It willbe understood that whereas the process 930 illustrated in FIG. 44 willbe described with respect to the perimeter, P, being defined as theboundary of UWB signal communications as just described, otherperimeters, based on one or more additional or alternative criteria, mayalternatively be defined and implemented in the process 930.

In embodiments in which the control computer 24 of the motor vehicle isconfigured to determine the proximity thereto of a known MCD 34, theprocess 930 is illustratively stored in the at least one memory 28 ofthe vehicle control computer 24 in the form of instructions executableby the at least one processor or controller 26 of the vehicle controlcomputer 24 to cause the at least one processor or controller 26 toexecute the corresponding functions. In other embodiments in which theat least one processor or controller 14 of one or more of the objectdetection modules 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle is configured todetermine the proximity thereto of a known MCD 34, the process 930 isillustratively stored in the at least one memory 16 of one or more ofthe object detection modules 12′ in the form of instructions executableby the at least one processor or controller 14 thereof to cause the atleast one processor or controller 14 to execute the correspondingfunctions. It will be understood that in some alternate embodiments,such instructions may be stored, in whole or in part, in any one or moreof the memory units illustrated in FIG. 38, e.g., in one or more of thememory 44 of the actuator driver circuit(s) 40 and the memory 64 of theaudio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60, and executed, in wholeor in part, by any one or more of the processors or controllersillustrated in FIG. 38. For purposes of the following description, theprocess 930 will be described as being executed by the at least oneprocessor or controller 26 of the vehicle control computer 24, it beingunderstood that the process 930 may alternatively or additionally beexecuted, in whole or in part, by one or more of the processors orcontrollers 14, 42, 62.

The process 930 illustratively begins at step 932 where the processor orcontroller 26 is operable to determine whether an in-range mobilecommunication device (MCD) 34, i.e., an MCD 34 known to the processor orcontroller 26, has been detected. In some embodiments, the processor orcontroller 86 of an MCD 34 is configured to continually or periodicallyinitiate or attempt UWB communications with a vehicle control computer24 known to it by activating the UWB transceiver 88 to emit one or moreUWB radiation signals and then waiting for a time period to determinewhether a matching or otherwise expected return UWB radiation signal,emitted by one or more UWB transceivers 32 under the control of avehicle control computer 24 known to the MCD 34, is received by the UWBtransceiver 88. In alternate embodiments, the processor or controller 26of a vehicle control computer 24 is configured to continually orperiodically initiate or attempt UWB communications with an MCD 34 knownto it by activating one or more of the UWB transceivers 32 to emit oneor more UWB radiation signals and then waiting for a time period todetermine whether a matching or otherwise expected return UWB radiationsignal, emitted by the UWB transceiver 88 under the control of aprocessor or controller 86 of an MCD 34 known to the processor orcontroller 26 of a vehicle control computer 24, is received by one ormore of the UWB transceivers 32. In any case, until such and in-rangeMCD 34 is detected, the process 930 loops back to step 932. Upondetection of such an in-range MCD 34, the process 930 advances to step934 where the at least one processor or controller 26 of the vehiclecontrol computer 24 is operable to produce and transmit to the at leastone processor or controller 14 of one or more of the object detectionmodules 12′ the mobile device status signal, MDSS, having a state orvalue corresponding to detection of the mobile communication device 34,e.g., corresponding to the known MCD 34 being within the perimeter, P,defined about the motor vehicle 70 as illustrated by example in FIG. 39.This state of the MDSS signal may illustratively be any signal thatnotifies the at least one processor or controller 14 of one or more ofthe object detection modules 12′ of an in-range MCD 34, examples ofwhich include, but are not limited to, one or more analog signals, oneor more analog or digital flags, one or more digital data values, or thelike.

Following step 934, the processor or controller 26 is operable at step936 to determine whether the previously in-range mobile communicationdevice (MCD) 34 is now out of range. As long as the in-range MCD 34remains in-range, i.e., remains within the perimeter P illustrated inFIG. 39, the processor or controller 86 of the in-range MCD 34 and theat least one processor or controller 26 of the corresponding vehiclecontrol computer 24 continue to exchange UWB communication signals,i.e., by continually or periodically activating the respective UWBtransceiver 88 and one or more UWB transmitters 32 and then waiting forcorresponding time periods for return UWB signals emitted by the other,and in this manner the at least one processor or controller 26 of thevehicle control computer 24 is configured to determine whether an MCD 34detected as being in-range remains in-range. As long as this is thecase, the process 930 loops back on step 936. If/when the at least oneprocessor or controller 26 of the corresponding vehicle control computer24 no longer receives return UWB radiation signals emitted by the MCD 34within an expected time period following activation of one or more ofthe UWB transceivers 32, and/or following a predefined number of suchattempts, the at least one processor or controller 26 of the vehiclecontrol computer 24 determines that the previously in-range MCD 34 isnow out of range, the process 930 advances to step 938 where the atleast one processor or controller 26 of the vehicle control computer 24is operable to produce and transmit to the at least one processor orcontroller 14 of one or more of the object detection modules 12′ themobile device status signal, MDSS, having a state or value correspondingto an out-of-range mobile communication device 34, e.g., correspondingto the known MCD 34 being outside of the perimeter, P, defined about themotor vehicle 70 as illustrated by example in FIG. 39. This state of theMDSS signal may illustratively be any signal that notifies the at leastone processor or controller 14 of one or more of the object detectionmodules 12′ of a now out-of-range MCD 34, examples of which include, butare not limited to, one or more analog signals, one or more analog ordigital flags, one or more digital data values, or the like. Followingstep 938, the process 930 illustratively loops back to step 932. It willbe understood that in embodiments in which the at least one processor orcontroller 14 of one or more of the object detection modules 12′ isconfigured to determine the proximity of a known MCD 34 to the motorvehicle as described above, the at least one processor or controller 14is configured to produce the MDSS signal but need not “transmit” theMDSS signal elsewhere unless it is to another object detection module12′.

Referring now to FIG. 45, a simplified flowchart is shown of a process940 for determining whether one or more of the object detection modules12, 12′ is/are to operate in the gesture access mode or the inactivemode, as these modes are described above. In the illustrated embodiment,the determination of whether to operate in the gesture access mode orthe inactive mode is dependent upon the outcome of the process 930illustrated in FIG. 44, i.e., whether the known mobile communicationdevice (MCD) 34, i.e., known to the control computer 24 of the motorvehicle and/or to the at least one processor or controller 14 of one ormore object detection modules 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle, iswithin our outside of the perimeter, P, illustrated by example in FIG.39, and is thus dependent upon the state or value of the module devicestatus signal (MDSS) produced by the at least one processor 26 of thevehicle control computer 24 (or in some alternate embodiments, producedby the at least one processor or controller 14 of one or more of theobject detection modules 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle). In alternateembodiments, notification of whether a known MCD 34 is within or outsideof the perimeter, P, defined about the motor vehicle, e.g., is in-rangeor out-of-range for UWB signal communications, may be generated by theMCD 34 or by another processor or controller mounted to the motorvehicle.

The process 940 is illustratively stored in the at least one memory 16of one or more of the object detection modules 12′ in the form ofinstructions executable by the at least one processor or controller 14thereof to cause the at least one processor or controller 14 to executethe corresponding functions. It will be understood that in somealternate embodiments, such instructions may be stored, in whole or inpart, in any one or more of the memory units illustrated in FIG. 38,e.g., in one or more of the memory 44 of the actuator driver circuit(s)40 and the memory 64 of the audio/illumination device driver circuit(s)60, and executed, in whole or in part, by any one or more of theprocessors or controllers illustrated in FIG. 38. For purposes of thefollowing description, the process 940 will be described as beingexecuted by the at least one processor or controller 14 of the one ormore of the object detection modules 12′, it being understood that theprocess 940 may alternatively or additionally be executed, in whole orin part, by one or more of the processors or controllers 26, 42, 62.

The process 940 illustratively begins at step 942 where the at least oneprocessor or controller 14 is operable to determine whether a mobiledevice detection signal has been received; that is, whether the mobiledevice status signal (MDSS) produced and transmitted to the at least oneprocessor or controller 14 by the processor 26 of the vehicle controlcomputer 24 corresponds to detection of a known MCD 34 within theperimeter, P, defined about the motor vehicle in which the one or moreobject detection modules 12′ is/are mounted, e.g., whether the MDSSsignal corresponds to detection of an in-range, known MCD 34. If not,the process 940 follows the “NO” branch of step 942 and advances tosteps 944 and 946 where the processor or controller 14 enters anINACTIVE operating mode in which the processor or controller 14deactivates the corresponding object detection module 12′. In someembodiments, the processor or controller 14 is operable at step 946 toproduce and transmit one or more control signals to the remaining objectdetection modules 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle to which theprocessors or controllers 14 thereof are responsive to deactivate therespective one of those object detection modules 12′. In some alternateembodiments, such one or more control signals may be transmitted to thevehicle control computer 24 which, in turn, transmits such one or morecontrol signals to the remaining object detection modules 12′ to whichthe processors or controllers 14 thereof are responsive to deactivatethe respective one of those object detection modules 12′. In any suchembodiments, the processor(s) or controller(s) 14 of the one or moreobject detection modules 12′ is/are illustratively operable to“deactivate” the one or more object detection modules 12′ by anyconventional process or technique which causes the processor orcontroller 14 thereof to ignore or otherwise not act upon any reflectedUWB radiation signals received from one or more UWB transceivers 32 orfrom any other source (e.g., from the vehicle control computer 24), orin any other form, e.g., time difference signals received from thevehicle control computer 24 or from any other source. In alternateembodiments in which one or more of the object detection modules 12′includes at least one UWB transceiver 100′ as described above, theprocessor(s) or controller(s) 14 of such one or more object detectionmodules 12′ is/are illustratively operable to “deactivate” theirrespective object detection modules 12′ by not activating the respectiveUWB transceivers 100′ for purposes of granting gesture access to aclosure of the motor vehicle, i.e., so that no UWB radiation signalswill be emitted by any UWB transceiver 100′ and ergo no reflected UWBradiation signals will be detected thereby. In any case, following step946, the process 940 illustratively loops back to step 942.

If, at step 942, the most recent MDSS signal received corresponds todetection of an in-range and known MCD 34, the process 940 advances tosteps 948 and 950 where the processor or controller 14 enters a GESTUREACCESS operating mode to execute a gesture access control process. Anexample implementation of the gesture access control process isillustrated in FIG. 46 and will be described in detail below. Followingstep 950, the process 942 illustratively advances to step 952 where theprocessor or controller 14 continues to monitor the mobile device statussignal (MDSS). As long as the MDSS signal continues to correspond toin-range detection of the known MCD 34, the process 940 loops back tothe beginning of step 952. At some point, e.g., when the possessor ofthe in-range MCD 34 exits the motor vehicle and advances beyond theperimeter P defined about the motor vehicle, the processor or controller26 of the vehicle control computer 24 (or, in some embodiments, theprocessor or controller 14 of one or more of the object detectionmodules 12′) changes the mobile device status signal (MDSS) produced andtransmitted thereby to a state or value corresponding to the previouslyin-range MCD 34 now being out of range, i.e., beyond perimeter P. Whenthis occurs, the processor or controller 14 of the one or more objectdetection modules 12′ is responsive to the now out of range MDSS stateor value to loop from the “NO” branch of step 952 to steps 944 and 946where the processor or controller 14 enters the INACTIVE mode describedabove.

Referring now to FIG. 46, a simplified flowchart is shown of anembodiment of a gesture access control process 960 that may be executedat step 950 of the process 940 illustrated in FIG. 45. The process 960is illustratively stored in the at least one memory 16 of one or more ofthe object detection modules 12′ in the form of instructions executableby the at least one processor or controller 14 thereof to cause the atleast one processor or controller 14 to execute the correspondingfunctions. It will be understood that in some alternate embodiments,such instructions may be stored, in whole or in part, in any one or moreof the memory units illustrated in FIG. 38, e.g., in one or more of thememory 28 of the vehicle control computer 24, the memory 44 of theactuator driver circuit(s) 40 and the memory 64 of theaudio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60, and executed, in wholeor in part, by any one or more of the processors or controllersillustrated in FIG. 38. For purposes of the following description, theprocess 960 will be described as being executed by the at least oneprocessor or controller 14 of the one or more of the object detectionmodules 12′, it being understood that the process 960 may alternativelyor additionally be executed, in whole or in part, by one or more of theprocessors or controllers 26, 42, 62. For purposes of the followingdescription, the process 960 will be described as being executed by theprocessor or controller 14, it being understood that the process 960 mayalternatively or additionally be executed, in whole or in part, by oneor more of the processors or controllers 26, 42, 62.

The process 960 is illustratively executed by any one or more, or all,of the object detection modules 12, 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle,e.g., any of the object detection modules 12, 12′ mounted to the motorvehicle in the example illustrated in FIG. 39. In this regard, decisionsand commands made or generated by the processor or controller 14 of oneobject detection module 12, 12′ may be communicated to others of theobject detection modules 12, 12′ so that the processors or controllers14 of such other object detection modules 12, 12′ can act on the samedecisions and/or carry out the same commands. It will be understood thatsome embodiments of the object detection module 12, 12′ may not includeone or more components of other object detection modules 12, 12′. Inthis regard, dashed-line boxes are illustratively shown around some ofthe steps or groups of steps of the process 960 to identify steps whichare part of the process 960 when the object detection module 12′includes at least one illumination device 112. With the exception ofstep 986, such steps are illustratively omitted in embodiments in whichthe object detection module 12′ does not include any such illuminationdevices 112.

The process 960 illustratively begins at step 962. In some embodimentsof the object detection module(s) 12′, the processor or controller 14 isoperable at step 962 to activate one or more of the UWB transceivers 32to emit UWB radiation and to then monitor the one or more UWBtransceivers 32 for detection of reflected UWB radiation signals. Inother embodiments, the object detection module(s) 12, 12′ may include(s)one or more object detection transceivers, e.g., 102, 104 or 132, 134 inthe case of the object detection module(s) 12, and 100′ in the case ofthe object detection module(s) 12′, and in such embodiments theprocessor or controller 14 may be operable at step 962 to activate oneor more of the transmitter(s) 102, 132 or transceiver(s) 100′ to emitradiation and to monitor the one or more transmitter(s) 104, 134 ortransceivers 100′ for detection of reflected radiation signals. In stillother embodiments, the UWB transceivers 32 are activated, i.e., to emitUWB radiation, by operation of the processor or controller 26 of thevehicle control computer 24 or other processor/controller, and in suchembodiments the processor or controller 14 is operable to receive thetiming or other indicator of UWB transceiver activation from theprocessor or controller 26 or other processor/controller, and to thenmonitor for reflected UWB radiation signals. In some such embodiments,the processor or controller 14 of the object detection module(s) 12′ isoperable at step 962 to monitor the one or more UWB transceivers 32directly for reflected UWB radiation signals, and in other embodimentsthe processor or controller 14 is operable to monitor the vehiclecontrol computer 24 or other processor/controller to receive the fromthe control computer 24 or other processor/controller the reflected UWBradiation signals received thereby. In some embodiments, the reflectedUWB radiation signals received from the control computer 24 or otherprocessor/controller are the raw or pre-conditioned transceiver signals,and in other embodiments the reflected UWB radiation signals arereceived from the control computer 24 or other processor/controller inthe form of timing, relative to the timing of transceiver activation, ofreceipt by the control computer 24 or other processor/controller of thereflected UWB radiation signals. In the latter case, the processor orcontroller 14 may receive the UWB transceiver information in the form oftiming values of each of the UWB transceiver activation signals and thecorresponding reflected UWB radiation signals, or in the form of timedifference values each corresponding to a difference between a UWBtransceiver activation signal and receipt of a corresponding reflectedUWB radiation signal. In any case, the process 960 advances from step962 to step 964 where the processor or controller 14 is operable todetermine whether reflected radiation signals, e.g., in any of the formsdescribed above, have been received. If not, the process 960 loops backto the beginning of step 964.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12, 12′ includes oneor more illumination devices, the process 960 illustratively includesstep 966 to which the process 960 advances following the “YES” branch ofstep 964. In other embodiments in which the object detection module 12,12′ does not include one or more illumination devices 112, the process960 does not include step 966 and the process 960 advances from the“YES” branch of step 964 to step 972. If included, step 966illustratively includes step 968 in which the processor or controller 14is operable to identify one or more illumination devices 112 toilluminate based on the received object detection (OD) signal(s)produced by the radiation emission and detection assembly 100, 130 inthe case of object detection module(s) 12 or based on reflected UWBradiation signals received, in any of the forms described above, fromone or more of the UWB transceivers 32 in the case of object detectionmodule(s) 12′. Thereafter at step 970, the processor or controller 14 isoperable to control one or more of the driver circuit(s) DC toilluminate the identified illumination device(s) 112 according to apredefined detection scheme. The predefined detection scheme mayillustratively take any of the forms described above with respect tostep 708 of the process 700 illustrated in FIG. 35.

Following step 966, in embodiments which include step 966, and otherwisefollowing the “YES” branch of step 964, the processor or controller 14is operable at steps 972, 974 and 976 to process (at step 972) theactivation and reflected radiation signals, as these signals aredescribed above with respect to step 962, to compare (at step 974) theprocessed signals to one or more vehicle access condition (VAC) valuesstored in the memory 16 (or the memory 28, 42 and/or 64), and to thendetermine (at step 976) whether VAC is satisfied. In some embodiments,the processor or controller 14 is operable to process the activation andreflected radiation signals to determine time difference values betweenthe activation and reflected radiation signals if not already providedin this form to the processor or controller 14, e.g., by the processoror controller 26 of the vehicle control computer 24 and/or by anotherprocessor or controller, and in such embodiments the stored VAC value(s)illustratively correspond to a predetermined sequence or othercollection of time difference values suitable for comparison with thetime difference values determined by the processor or controller 14based on the activation and reflected radiation signals. In otherembodiments, the processor or controller 14 may be operable to processthe activation and reflected radiation signals according to one or morealternate signal processing strategies, and in such embodiments thestored VAC value(s) illustratively correspond to a predeterminedsequence or other collection of like signals and/or values suitable forcomparison with the processed signals and/or values determined by theprocessor or controller 14 based on the activation and reflectedradiation signals.

If, at step 976, the processor or controller 14 determines that,resulting from comparison of the processed activation and reflectedradiation signals with the stored VAC value(s), VAC is not satisfied;that is, the processed activation and reflected radiation signals do notmatch the stored VAC value(s), the process 960 illustratively advancesto step 978 where the processor or controller 14 is operable todetermine whether a time limit has been exceeded. In some embodiments,the time limit at step 978 is a stored time limit within which theprocessor or controller 14 is expected to execute steps 972-976. Inalternate embodiments, the time limit may be a dynamic time limitdetermined by the processor or controller 14 as a function of any of oneor more operating conditions within the system 10′, one or morecomponents of the system 10′ and/or one or more environmental or otherconditions external to the system 10′. In any case, if the processor orcontroller 14 determines at step 978 that the time limit has not beenexceeded, the process 960 illustratively loops back to step 966, inembodiments which include step 966, or to step 972 in embodiments whichdo not include step 966, to process additional activation and reflectedradiation signals.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12, 12′ includes oneor more illumination devices, the process 960 illustratively includesstep 980 to which the process 960 advances following the “YES” branch ofstep 978, i.e., if the processor or controller determines at step 978that the time limit has been exceeded. In such embodiments, theprocessor or controller 14 is illustratively operable at step 980operable to control one or more illumination devices 112, e.g., asdescribed above, to illuminate based on a predetermined, i.e., stored,fail scheme, wherein the processed activation and reflected radiationsignals are determined by the processor or controller 14, to fail toexhibit a predefined gesture as described above within the predefinedtime period following the first execution of step 972. The fail schememay illustratively take any of the forms described above with respect tostep 722 of the process 700 illustrated in FIG. 35.

If, at step 976, the processor or controller 14 determines that,resulting from comparison of the processed activation and reflectedradiation signals with the stored VAC value(s), VAC is satisfied; thatis, the processed activation and reflected radiation signals match thestored VAC value(s), the process 960 illustratively advances to step 984where the processor or controller 14 is operable to control one or moreof the actuator driver circuits 40 to activate one or more correspondingvehicle access actuators 46 in order to actuate one or morecorresponding vehicle access closure devices. Examples of such vehicleaccess closure devices may include, but are not limited to, one or moreaccess closure locks, one or more access closure latches, and the like.At step 984, the processor or controller 14 may be operable to, forexample, control at least one lock actuator associated with at least oneaccess closure of the motor vehicle to unlock the access closure from alocked state or condition and/or to lock the access closure from anunlocked state or condition, and/or to control at least one latchactuator associated with at least one access closure of the motorvehicle to at least partially open the access closure from a closedposition or condition and/or to close the access closure from an atleast partially open position or condition. In some embodiments, theprocessor or controller 14 of each of the object detection modules 12,12′ mounted to the motor vehicle may execute the process 960, or atleast some portion(s) thereof, and in such embodiments the processor orcontroller 14 of each object detection module 12, 12′ may, at step 984,control at least one actuator driver circuit 40 to activate the one ofthe vehicle access actuators 46 associated therewith. In alternateembodiments, the processor or controller 14 of any of the objectdetection modules 12, 12′ that executes step 984 may communicate avehicle access actuation command to the processor(s) or controller(s) 14of other object detection modules 12, 12′ mounted to the motor vehicle.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12, 12′ includes oneor more illumination devices 112, the process 960 may further includestep 982 which may be executed prior to step 984 or along with step 984.In such embodiments, the processor or controller 14 is illustrativelyoperable to control one or more of illumination devices 112, e.g., viacontrol of one or more of the driver circuit(s) DC, according to an“access grant” illumination scheme. Illustratively, the “access grant”illumination scheme may take any of the forms described above withrespect to step 720 of the process 700 illustrated in FIG. 35.

In some embodiments, the process 960 may optionally include a step 986to which the process 960 advances from step 984, as illustrated bydashed-line representation in FIG. 46. In embodiments which include it,the processor or controller 14 is illustratively operable at step 724 tocontrol one or more of the audio and/or illumination device drivercircuits 60 to activate one or more corresponding audio and/orillumination devices 66 in addition to controlling one or more vehicleaccess actuators to activate one or more vehicle access devices at step984 following detection at step 976 of exhibition of a predefinedgesture by the object within the sensing region of at least one of theradiation transceivers. Example audio devices which may be activated atstep 986 may include, but are not limited to, the vehicle horn, anaudible device configured to emit one or more chirps, beeps, or otheraudible indicators, or the like. Example illumination devices which maybe activated at step 986, in addition to one or more of the illuminationdevices 112 (in embodiments which include one or more such illuminationdevices 112) or in any embodiment instead of one or more of theillumination devices 112, may include, but are not limited to, one ormore existing exterior motor vehicle lights or lighting systems, e.g.,headlamp(s), tail lamp(s), running lamp(s), brake lamp(s), side markerlamp(s), or the like, and one or more existing interior motor vehiclelights or lighting systems, e.g., dome lamp, access closure-mountedlamp(s), motor vehicle floor-illumination lamp(s), trunk illuminationlamp(s), or the like. In any case, following step 986, or following step984 in embodiments which do not include step 986, the process 960illustratively returns to the process 940 illustrated in FIG. 45.

Referring now to FIG. 47, another embodiment of a gesture access systemfor a motor vehicle 10″ is shown which includes another embodiment of anobject detection module 12″. The gesture access system 10″ is identicalin many respects to the object detection system 10′ illustrated in FIG.38 and described above. Components of the system 10″ in common withthose of the system 10′ are accordingly identified with like referencenumbers, and descriptions thereof will be omitted here for brevity, itbeing understood that the above descriptions of such components applyequally to those of the system 10″ illustrated in FIG. 47.

The system 10″ illustrated in FIG. 47 differs from that of the system10′ in at least three respects; (1) the system 10″ utilizes Bluetoothlow energy (BLE) circuitry and signals to determine the proximity andangle, relative to the motor vehicle, of the mobile communication device(MCD) 34′ known to the system 10″, which is both UWB circuit-equippedand BLE circuit-equipped, (2) the system 10′ is operable in a gestureaccess mode to utilize both UWB circuitry and BLE circuitry to performobject detection for the purpose of evaluating a walking pattern basedon emitted 36 and reflected 38 UWB signals and emitted 36′ and reflected38′ BLE signals and, upon recognition of at least one predefined walkingpattern, unlocking, locking, automatically opening and/or automaticallyclosing an access closure of a motor vehicle, and (3) the system 10″ isoperable only in the gesture access mode if the MCD 34′ is determined tobe within a perimeter defined about the motor vehicle and is otherwiseoperable in an inactive mode in which reflected UWB signals and/orreflected BLE signals are not received or are not acted upon. Suchoperational features of the system 10″ are described in detail below.

To accomplish the foregoing operational features, the system 10″illustratively includes at least one BLE signal transceiver 1000.Illustratively, each transceiver 1000 operates in the conventional BLErange, e.g., approximately 2.45 GHz, and is configured to wirelesslytransmit and receive BLE signals. In some embodiments, the one or moreBLE transceiver(s) 1000 is/are operatively (i.e., communicatively, viahardwire and/or wireless connection) connected solely to the vehiclecontrol computer 24 as depicted in FIG. 47 by the solid-line connection.In some alternate embodiments, at least one BLE transceiver 1000 isconnected solely to, and/or carried solely by, the object detectionmodule 12″ as depicted in FIG. 47 by the dash-line connection 1002, andin other alternate embodiments one or more BLE transceiver(s) 1000is/are operatively connected to the vehicle control computer 24 and atleast one BLE transceiver 1000 is connected to, and/or carried by, theobject detection module 12″. It will be understood that any embodimentof the system 10″ may include one or more of the object detectionmodules 12″, each of which is operatively (i.e., communicatively, viahardwire and/or wireless connection) connected to the vehicle controlcomputer 24 as depicted in FIG. 47 by the solid-line connection 31. Eachof the one or more object detection modules 12″ includes, at a minimum,a processor or controller 14 and a memory 16 as described above withrespect to FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 48, an example embodiment of the system 10″ ofFIG. 47 is shown implemented in a motor vehicle 70′. The motor vehicle70′ is identical in many respects to the motor vehicle 70′ illustratedin FIG. 39 and described above. Components of the motor vehicle 70′ incommon with those of the motor vehicle 70 are accordingly identifiedwith like reference numbers, and descriptions thereof will be omittedhere for brevity, it being understood that the above descriptions ofsuch components apply equally to those of the motor vehicle 70′illustrated in FIG. 48. It will be understood that while not all of thecomponents of the system 10″ illustrated in FIG. 47 are shown in FIG.48, such non-illustrated components are present in the system 10″ ofFIG. 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor vehicle 70′illustratively has five access closures in the form of two conventionalforward vehicle doors 72A, 72B, two rearward vehicle doors 76A, 76B anda conventional rear hatch 80, as described above with respect to motorvehicle 70.

The vehicle control computer 24 is suitably mounted in the motor vehicle70′, and is electrically connected to object detection module(s) 12″, aswell as to UWB transceiver(s) 32 and BLE transceiver(s) 1000. In thisexample, the BLE transceiver(s) 1000 are operatively connected, e.g.,via any number of conventional electrical wires or wirelessly, to thevehicle control computer 24 but not to any of the object detectionmodules 12″, although in alternate embodiments one or more of the BLEtransceiver(s) 1000 may be alternatively or additionally operativelyconnected directly, e.g., wired or wirelessly, to a respective one ormore of the object detection modules 12″. In the illustrated example, anobject detection module 12″ is mounted to or near each access handle74A, 74B, 76A, 76B and 82, although in alternate embodiments more orfewer object detection modules 12″ may be mounted to the motor vehicle70′ at any desired location. Also in the illustrated example, eight BLEtransceiver(s) 1000 ₁-1000 ₈ are mounted to the motor vehicle 70′ atvarious different locations. In alternate embodiments, more or fewer BLEtransceiver(s) 1000 may be mounted to the motor vehicle 70′ at variouslocations.

As also illustrated in FIG. 48, the mobile communication device (MCD)34′ illustratively has at least a conventional processor or controller86′, the UWB transceiver 88, and a BLE transceiver 1004. The MCD 34′ andthe vehicle control computer 24 (and/or one or more of the objectdetection modules 12″ in some embodiments) are both capable ofwirelessly communicating with one another via control of theirrespective UWB transceivers 32, 88 according to conventional UWBcommunication protocol. The MCD 34′ and the vehicle control computer 24(and/or one or more of the object detection modules 12″ in someembodiments) are also capable of wirelessly communicating with oneanother via control of their respective BLE transceivers 1000, 1004according to conventional BLE communication protocol. In one embodiment,the MCD 34′ is a smart phone equipped with a UWB transceiver 88 and BLEtransceiver 1004, although in other embodiments the MCD 34′ may be anymobile electronic device equipped with a UWB transceiver 88 and a BLEtransceiver 1004 and additional circuitry configured to communicate withthe vehicle control computer 24 via a conventional UWB communicationprotocol and/or BLE communication protocol, such as a key fob or othermobile electronic device carried by or on an operator of the motorvehicle.

In the context of this disclosure, a particular MCD 34′ will be capableof UWB communications and/or BLE communications with a particularvehicle control computer 24 (and/or by the processor/controller 14 of atleast one of the object detection modules 12″) of a particular motorvehicle 70′ and/or vice versa if the particular MCD 34′ and/orcomponent(s) thereof is/are known to the particular vehicle controlcomputer 24 (and/or by the processor/controller 14 of at least one ofthe object detection modules 12″) and/or if the particular vehiclecontrol computer 24 and/or the motor vehicle 70′ itself (and/or theprocessor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detection modules12″) is/are known to the MCD 34′. In the former case, the particular MCD34′ will be, for example, owned by, or otherwise in the possession of,an operator of the motor vehicle 70′, and in the latter case theparticular motor vehicle 70′ (carrying the particular vehicle controlcomputer 24 and/or process/or controller 14 of at least one of theobjection detection modules 12″) will be, for example, a motor vehicle70′ for which the owner or possessor of the particular MCD 34′ is anoperator.

The particular MCD 34′ will be known to the vehicle control computer 24(and/or by the processor/controller 14 of at least one of the objectdetection modules 12″) of the particular motor vehicle 70′ if the twohave been previously linked, paired or otherwise configured, in aconventional manner, for UWB communications and/or BLE communicationswith the other to the exclusion, with respect to the particular MCD 34′,of vehicle control computers 24 of other motor vehicles 70′, and to theexclusion, with respect to the particular motor vehicle 70′, of otherMOD's 34′ that have not been previously linked, paired or otherwiseconfigured for UWB communications and/or BLE communications therewith.It is contemplated that two or more particular MOD's 34′ may be solinked, paired or otherwise configured for UWB communications and/or BLEcommunications with the vehicle control computer 24 (and/or with theprocessor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detection modules12″) of a particular motor vehicle 70′, e.g., to accommodate 2^(nd),3^(rd), etc. operators of the motor vehicle 70′.

In some embodiments, the particular MCD(s) 34′ linked, paired orotherwise configured for UWB communications and/or BLE communicationswith the particular vehicle control computer 24 (and/or with theprocessor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detection modules12, 12′) is/are, as a result of the linking, pairing or configurationprocess, illustratively operable to thereafter transmit uniqueidentification information as part of, or appended to, UWB signalstransmitted by the UWB transceiver(s) 88 and/or BLE signals transmittedby the BLE transceiver(s) 1004. Alternatively or additionally, theparticular vehicle control computer 24 (and/or the processor/controller14 of at least one of the object detection modules 12″) linked, pairedor otherwise configured for UWB communications and/or BLE communicationswith the particular MCD(s) 34′ may be, as a result of the linking,pairing or configuration process, thereafter operable to transmit uniqueidentification information as part of, or appended to, UWB signalstransmitted by one or more of the UWB transceivers 32 and/or BLE signalstransmitted by one or more of the BLE transceivers 1000. Suchidentification information may be or include, for example, but notlimited to, information identifying the processor/controller 86 of theparticular MCD 34′, the UWB transceiver 88 of the particular MCD 34′,the BLE transceiver 1004 of the particular MCD 34′, informationidentifying the particular MCD 34′ itself, information identifying theparticular vehicle control computer 24 (and/or with theprocessor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detection modules12″) of the particular motor vehicle 70′, information identifying one ormore of the UWB transceivers 32 of the particular motor vehicle 70′,information identifying one or more of the BLE transceivers 1000 of theparticular motor vehicle 70′, information identifying the particularmotor vehicle 70′ itself, any combination thereof, and/or otheridentification information unique to the particular MCD 34′/motorvehicle 70′ pair. In any case, UWB communication, via one or more of theUWB transceivers 32 of a particular motor vehicle 70′ and a UWBtransceiver 88 of a particular MCD 34′, in the context of thisdisclosure, may only be conducted between the vehicle control computer24 (and/or the processor/controller 14 of at least one of the objectdetection modules 12″) of that particular motor vehicle 70′ and theprocessor/controller 14 of that (or those) particular MCD(s) 34′ bytransmitting by one or the other or both, as part of or along withtransmitted UWB signals, unique identification information known to theother resulting from having been previously linked, paired or otherwiseconfigured for UWB communications with one another. Additionally, BLEcommunication, via one or more of the BLE transceivers 1000 of aparticular motor vehicle 70′ and a BLE transceiver 1004 of a particularMCD 34′, in the context of this disclosure, may only be conductedbetween the vehicle control computer 24 (and/or the processor/controller14 of at least one of the object detection modules 12″) of thatparticular motor vehicle 70′ and the processor/controller 14 of that (orthose) particular MCD(s) 34′ by transmitting by one or the other orboth, as part of or along with transmitted BLE signals, uniqueidentification information known to the other resulting from having beenpreviously linked, paired or otherwise configured for BLE communicationswith one another. In this regard, in the context of the exampleimplementation illustrated in FIG. 48, it will be understood that theMCD 34′ (or one or more components thereof) is thus known to the vehiclecontrol computer 24 (and/or to the processor/controller 14 of at leastone of the object detection modules 12″) of the illustrated motorvehicle 70′ and/or vice versa, having been previously linked, paired orotherwise configured for UWB communications and/or BLE communicationswith one another.

Further illustrated in FIG. 48 is a perimeter, P, surrounding the motorvehicle 70′, which represents a boundary within which UWB communicationsand/or BLE communications between the processor/controller 86 of the MCD34′ and the processor 26 (and/or the processor/controller 14 of at leastone of the object detection modules 12, 12′) of the motor vehicle 70′can take place or are permitted to take place, and beyond which such UWBcommunications and/or BLE communications cannot take place or are notpermitted. Generally, UWB communications have a range of approximately30 feet. BLE communications generally have a range of over 300 feet;however, in one embodiment, the vehicle control computer 24 (and/or tothe processor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detectionmodules 12″) of the motor vehicle 70′ will not link, pair with the MCD34′ until both UWB communications and BLE communications are establishedbetween the MCD 34′ and the vehicle control computer 24 (and/or to theprocessor/controller 14 of at least one of the object detection modules12″) of the motor vehicle 70′. Accordingly, in one embodiment theperimeter, P, defines approximately a 30 feet boundary about the motorvehicle such that when the MCD 34′ is within the perimeter, P, asillustrated by example in FIG. 39, the MCD 34′ is generally within bothUWB communication and BLE communication range of the motor vehicle 70′(and is thus considered to be “in-range”), and when the MCD 34′ isbeyond or outside of the perimeter, P, the MCD 34′ is generally outsideof UWB communication range of the motor vehicle 70′ (and is thusconsidered to be “out-of-range”). In this embodiment, the perimeter, P,is thus defined as approximately the boundary of UWB communicationsbetween the MCD 34′ and the motor vehicle 70′. In alternate embodiments,the perimeter P may be defined to be any arbitrary boundary about themotor vehicle 70′ (or about any particular one, set or subset of the UWBtransceivers 32). In any case, for purposes of this disclosure, when theMCD 34′ is determined to be within the perimeter, P, the objectdetection module(s) 12″ is/are configured to operate in the gestureaccess mode, and when the MCD 34′ is otherwise determined to be beyondor outside of the perimeter, P, the object detection module(s) 12″is/are configured to operate in the inactive mode, as these modes arebriefly described above. In this regard, a convenient perimeter, P, isapproximately the communication range of the UWB transceivers 32, 88,although alternate perimeters are contemplated as described above.Moreover, in some alternate embodiments, the perimeter, P, may bedefined only by and about one or a subset of the total set of UWBtransceivers 32, and/or the perimeter, P, may not be smooth asillustrated by example in FIG. 48, but may instead be non-smoothlyformed by piecewise, intersecting segments.

Referring now to FIG. 49, a simplified flowchart is shown of anembodiment of a gesture access control process 1010 that recognizes awalking pattern to unlock at least one of the access closures 72A, 72B,76A, 76B, 80 of the motor vehicle 70′. The process 1010 isillustratively stored in the at least one memory 16 of one or more ofthe object detection modules 12″ in the form of instructions executableby the at least one processor or controller 14 thereof to cause the atleast one processor or controller 14 to execute the correspondingfunctions. It will be understood that in some alternate embodiments,such instructions may be stored, in whole or in part, in any one or moreof the memory units illustrated in FIG. 47, e.g., in one or more of thememory 28 of the vehicle control computer 24, the memory 44 of theactuator driver circuit(s) 40 and the memory 64 of theaudio/illumination device driver circuit(s) 60, and executed, in wholeor in part, by any one or more of the processors or controllersillustrated in FIG. 47. For purposes of the following description, theprocess 1010 will be described as being executed by the at least oneprocessor or controller 14 of the one or more of the object detectionmodules 12″, it being understood that the process 1010 may alternativelyor additionally be executed, in whole or in part, by one or more of theprocessors or controllers 26, 42, 62. For purposes of the followingdescription, the process 1010 will be described as being executed by theprocessor or controller 14, it being understood that the process 1010may alternatively or additionally be executed, in whole or in part, byone or more of the processors or controllers 26, 42, 62.

The process 1010 is illustratively executed by any one or more, or all,of the object detection modules 12″ mounted to the motor vehicle, e.g.,any of the object detection modules 12″ mounted to the motor vehicle 70′in the example illustrated in FIG. 47. In this regard, decisions andcommands made or generated by the processor or controller 14 of oneobject detection module 12″ may be communicated to others of the objectdetection modules 12″ so that the processors or controllers 14 of suchother object detection modules 12″ can act on the same decisions and/orcarry out the same commands. It will be understood that some embodimentsof the object detection module 12″ may not include one or morecomponents of other object detection modules 12″. In this regard,dashed-line boxes are illustratively shown around some of the steps orgroups of steps of the process 1010 to identify steps which are part ofthe process 1010 when the object detection module 12″ includes at leastone illumination device 112 or other indicator device, such as anaudible device, for example a horn of the motor vehicle 70′. Such stepsare illustratively omitted in embodiments in which the object detectionmodule 12″ does not include any such illumination devices 112 or otherindicator device.

The process 1010 illustratively begins at step 1012 where the processoror controller 14 is operable to determine whether an object is withinthe perimeter, P. In some embodiments, the object may be detected usingany one of a radar, an ultra-wideband radar, an infrared sensor, camera,or a lidar scanner. That is, the sensors 50 of the vehicle 70′ mayinclude any suitable sensor for detecting an object within theperimeter, P, and producing an object detection signal. In someembodiments, an object detection signal is received by the communicationcircuit 30 of the vehicle control computer 24 and passed, processed orunprocessed, to the processor or controller 14. In other embodiments inwhich the object detection module 12″ includes a communication circuit18, the object detection signal may be received directly by theprocessor or controller 14. In any case, until the object detectionsignal is detected, the process 1010 loops back to step 1012. If anobject is detected within the perimeter, P, the process 1010 advancesalong the “YES” branch of step 1012, in one embodiment.

In some embodiments, rather than merely detecting an object within theperimeter, P, the processor or controller 14 is operable to determinewhether a wireless signal from the object has been detected. Forexample, the wireless signal may be illustratively produced by aconventional Key Fob 20 or the MCD 34′. In some embodiments, thewireless signal is received by the communication circuit 30 of thevehicle control computer 24 and passed, processed or unprocessed, to theprocessor or controller 14. In other embodiments in which the objectdetection module 12″ includes a communication circuit 18, the wirelesssignal may be received directly by the processor or controller 14. Inany case, until the wireless signal is detected, the process 1010 loopsback to step 1012.

If the wireless signal is received by the communication circuit 30 ofthe vehicle control computer 24, the processor or controller 26 of thevehicle control computer 24 is illustratively operable to decode thereceived wireless signal and determine whether it matches at least onecode stored in the memory 28. If not, the processor or controller 26disregards or ignores the wireless signal and the process 1010 loopsback to step 1012. Likewise, if the wireless signal is received by thecommunication circuit 18 of the object detection module 12, theprocessor 14 is similarly operable to determine whether the receivedwireless signal matches at least one code stored in the memory 16 or inthe memory 28. If not, the process 1010 likewise loops back to step1012. Thus, the process 1010, in one embodiment, advances along the“YES” branch of step 1012 only if the received wireless signal matchesat least one stored code, such that the gesture access process proceedsonly for authorized users, i.e., only for users carrying a Key Fob 20 orMCD 34′ that is recognizable by the object detection system 10. It willbe understood that some embodiments of the process 1010 may not includestep 1012, and in such embodiments the process 1010 begins at step 1014.

At step 1014, the processor or controller 14 is operable to activate oneor more of the UWB transceivers 32 and/or the BLE transceivers 1000 toemit UWB radiation and BLE radiation and to then monitor the one or moreUWB transceivers 32 for detection of reflected UWB radiation signals,and to monitor the one or more BLE transceivers 1000 for detection ofreflected BLE radiation signals. The process 1010 advances from step1014 to step 1016 where the processor or controller 14 is operable todetermine whether reflected radiation signals, e.g., in any of the formsdescribed above, have been received. If not, the process 1010 loops backto the beginning of step 1014. In some embodiments, the processor orcontroller 14 only activates the UWB transceivers 32 so that onlyreflected UWB radiation signals are detected. In other embodiments, theprocessor or controller 14 only activates the BLE transceivers 1000 sothat only reflected BLE radiation signals are detected. In oneembodiment, as described below, both UWB signals and BLE signals aredetected so that a proximity of the MCD 34′ and a speed of the MCD 34′is determined based on the UWB signals and an angle of the MCD 34′relative to the motor vehicle 70′ is determined based on the BLEsignals.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12″ includes one ormore illumination devices, the process 1010 illustratively includes step1018 to which the process 1010 advances following the “YES” branch ofstep 1016. In other embodiments in which the object detection module 12″does not include one or more illumination devices 112, the process 1010does not include step 1018 and the process 1010 advances from the “YES”branch of step 1016 to step 1026. If included, step 1018 illustrativelyincludes step 1020 in which the processor or controller 14 is operableto identify one or more illumination devices 112 to illuminate based onthe received object detection (OD) signal(s) produced by objectdetection module(s) 12″ or based on reflected UWB radiation and/or BLEradiation signals received, in any of the forms described above, fromone or more of the UWB transceivers 32 and/or BLE transceiver 1000.Thereafter at step 1022, the processor or controller 14 is operable tocontrol one or more of the driver circuit(s) DC to illuminate theidentified illumination device(s) 112 according to a predefineddetection scheme and/or to sound an audible device, for example, a hornof the motor vehicle 70′.

Following step 1018, in embodiments which include step 1018, andotherwise following the “YES” branch of step 1016, the processor orcontroller 14 is operable at step 1026 to process the activation andreflected radiation signals to compare the processed signals to one ormore vehicle access condition (VAC) values stored in the memory 16 (orthe memory 28, 42 and/or 64), and to then determine (at step 1028)whether VAC is satisfied. In some embodiments, the processor orcontroller 14 is operable to process the activation and reflected UWBradiation signals to determine time difference values between theactivation and reflected UWB radiation signals to determine whether theMCD 34′ is moving at a speed and direction that corresponds to apredefined walking pattern, and in such embodiments the stored VACvalue(s) illustratively correspond to the predefined walking pattern.Additionally, the processor or controller 14 is operable to process theactivation and reflected BLE radiation signals to determine angle valuesbetween the activation and reflected BLE radiation signals to determinewhether the MCD 34′ is moving at an angle that corresponds to thepredefined walking pattern, and in such embodiments the stored VACvalue(s) illustratively correspond to the predefined walking pattern.

If, at step 1028, the processor or controller 14 determines that,resulting from comparison of the processed activation and reflectedradiation signals with the stored VAC value(s), VAC is not satisfied;that is, the processed activation and reflected radiation signals do notmatch the stored VAC value(s) for the speed, direction, and angle of thepredefined walking pattern, the process 1010 loops back to step 1012, toprocess additional activation and reflected radiation signals.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12″ includes one ormore illumination devices, the process 1010 illustratively includes step1030 to which the process 1010 advances following the “NO” branch ofstep 1028. In such embodiments, the processor or controller 14 isillustratively operable at step 1030 to control one or more illuminationdevices 112 and/or audible device, e.g., as described above, toilluminate and/or produce an audible alert based on a predetermined,i.e., stored, fail scheme, wherein the processed activation andreflected radiation signals are determined by the processor orcontroller 14, to fail to exhibit a predefined walking pattern.

If, at step 1028, the processor or controller 14 determines that,resulting from comparison of the processed activation and reflectedradiation signals with the stored VAC value(s), VAC is satisfied; thatis, the processed activation and reflected radiation signals match thestored VAC value(s) for the speed, direction, and angle of thepredefined walking pattern, the process 1010 illustratively advances tostep 1032 where the processor or controller 14 is operable to controlone or more of the actuator driver circuits 40 to activate one or morecorresponding vehicle access actuators 46 in order to actuate one ormore corresponding vehicle access closure devices. Examples of suchvehicle access closure devices may include, but are not limited to, oneor more access closure locks, one or more access closure latches, andthe like. At step 1032, the processor or controller 14 may be operableto, for example, control at least one lock actuator associated with atleast one access closure of the motor vehicle to unlock the accessclosure from a locked state or condition and/or to lock the accessclosure from an unlocked state or condition, and/or to control at leastone latch actuator associated with at least one access closure of themotor vehicle to at least partially open the access closure from aclosed position or condition and/or to close the access closure from anat least partially open position or condition. In some embodiments, theprocessor or controller 14 of each of the object detection modules 12″mounted to the motor vehicle 70′ may execute the process 1010, or atleast some portion(s) thereof, and in such embodiments the processor orcontroller 14 of each object detection module 12″ may, at step 1032,control at least one actuator driver circuit 40 to activate the one ofthe vehicle access actuators 46 associated therewith. In alternateembodiments, the processor or controller 14 of any of the objectdetection modules 12″ that executes step 1032 may communicate a vehicleaccess actuation command to the processor(s) or controller(s) 14 ofother object detection modules 12″ mounted to the motor vehicle.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12″ includes one ormore illumination devices 112, the process 1010 may further include step1034 which may be executed prior to step 1032 or along with step 1032.In such embodiments, the processor or controller 14 is illustrativelyoperable to control one or more of illumination devices 112 and/oraudible devices, e.g., via control of one or more of the drivercircuit(s) DC, according to an “access grant” illumination and/oraudible scheme. Example audio devices which may be activated at step1032 may include, but are not limited to, the vehicle horn, an audibledevice configured to emit one or more chirps, beeps, or other audibleindicators, or the like. Example illumination devices which may beactivated at step 1032, in addition to one or more of the illuminationdevices 112 (in embodiments which include one or more such illuminationdevices 112) or in any embodiment instead of one or more of theillumination devices 112, may include, but are not limited to, one ormore existing exterior motor vehicle lights or lighting systems, e.g.,headlamp(s), tail lamp(s), running lamp(s), brake lamp(s), side markerlamp(s), or the like, and one or more existing interior motor vehiclelights or lighting systems, e.g., dome lamp, access closure-mountedlamp(s), motor vehicle floor-illumination lamp(s), trunk illuminationlamp(s), or the like. In any case, following step 1032, or followingstep 1034 in embodiments which do not include step 1032, the process1010 illustratively returns to the process 1012 illustrated in FIG. 49.

FIG. 50, illustrates an alternative gesture access process 1100, whereinthe predefined walking pattern includes an initial stage and a secondarystage. For example, the initial stage may include a primary predefinedspeed and angle at which the object approaches the motor vehicle 70′,and the secondary stage my include secondary predefined speed and angleat which the object backs away from the motor vehicle 70′. That is, whenapproaching the motor vehicle 70′ the user (or carrier of the object,e.g. MCD 34′) may approach the motor vehicle 70′ and then back away fromthe motor vehicle 70′ to gain access to one of the access handles 74A,74B, 76A, 76B and 82. Accordingly, the walking pattern includes theinitial stage (approach to the vehicle) and secondary stage (backingaway from the vehicle). It should be noted that other embodiments may becontemplated, wherein the walking pattern includes more than two stages.

In the process 1100, following step 1016 of process 1010, the processoror controller 14 is operable at step 1102 to process the activation andreflected radiation signals to compare the processed signals to one ormore vehicle access condition (VAC) values stored in the memory 16 (orthe memory 28, 42 and/or 64), and to then determine whether VAC issatisfied for the initial stage of the walking pattern. In someembodiments, the processor or controller 14 is operable to process theactivation and reflected UWB radiation signals to determine timedifference values between the activation and reflected UWB radiationsignals to determine whether the MCD 34′ is moving at a speed anddirection that corresponds to a predefined first stage of the walkingpattern, and in such embodiments the stored VAC value(s) illustrativelycorrespond to the predefined first stage of the walking pattern.Additionally, the processor or controller 14 is operable to process theactivation and reflected BLE radiation signals to determine angle valuesbetween the activation and reflected BLE radiation signals to determinewhether the MCD 34′ is moving at an angle that corresponds to thepredefined first stage of the walking pattern, and in such embodimentsthe stored VAC value(s) illustratively correspond to the predefinedfirst stage of the walking pattern.

If, at step 1104, the processor or controller 14 determines that,resulting from comparison of the processed activation and reflectedradiation signals with the stored VAC value(s), VAC for the first stageof the walking pattern is not satisfied; that is, the processedactivation and reflected radiation signals do not match the stored VACvalue(s) for the speed, direction, and angle of the predefined firststage of the walking pattern, the process 1102 loops back to step 1016,to process additional activation and reflected radiation signals.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12″ includes one ormore illumination devices, the process 1100 illustratively includes step1106 to which the process 1100 advances following the “NO” branch ofstep 1104. In such embodiments, the processor or controller 14 isillustratively operable at step 1106 to control one or more illuminationdevices 112 and/or audible device, e.g., as described above, toilluminate and/or produce an audible alert based on a predetermined,i.e., stored, fail scheme, wherein the processed activation andreflected radiation signals are determined by the processor orcontroller 14, to fail to exhibit a predefined first stage of thewalking pattern.

If, at step 1104, the processor or controller 14 determines that,resulting from comparison of the processed activation and reflectedradiation signals with the stored VAC value(s), VAC for the first stageof the walking pattern is satisfied; that is, the processed activationand reflected radiation signals match the stored VAC value(s) for thespeed, direction, and angle of the predefined first stage of the walkingpattern, the process 1100 illustratively advances to step 1108.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12″ includes one ormore illumination devices, the process 1100 illustratively includes step1110 to which the process 1100 advances following the “YES” branch ofstep 1104. In such embodiments, the processor or controller 14 isillustratively operable at step 1110 to control one or more illuminationdevices 112 and/or audible device, e.g., as described above, toilluminate and/or produce an audible alert based on a predetermined,i.e., stored, approval scheme, wherein the processed activation andreflected radiation signals are determined by the processor orcontroller 14, to exhibit a predefined first stage of the walkingpattern.

At step 1108, the processor or controller 14 is operable to process theactivation and reflected radiation signals to compare the processedsignals to one or more vehicle access condition (VAC) values stored inthe memory 16 (or the memory 28, 42 and/or 64), and to then determinewhether VAC is satisfied for the secondary stage of the walking pattern.In some embodiments, the processor or controller 14 is operable toprocess the activation and reflected UWB radiation signals to determinetime difference values between the activation and reflected UWBradiation signals to determine whether the MCD 34′ is moving at a speedand direction that corresponds to a predefined secondary stage of thewalking pattern, and in such embodiments the stored VAC value(s)illustratively correspond to the predefined secondary stage of thewalking pattern. Additionally, the processor or controller 14 isoperable to process the activation and reflected BLE radiation signalsto determine angle values between the activation and reflected BLEradiation signals to determine whether the MCD 34′ is moving at an anglethat corresponds to the predefined secondary stage of the walkingpattern, and in such embodiments the stored VAC value(s) illustrativelycorrespond to the predefined secondary stage of the walking pattern.

If, at step 1112, the processor or controller 14 determines that,resulting from comparison of the processed activation and reflectedradiation signals with the stored VAC value(s), VAC for the secondarystage of the walking pattern is not satisfied; that is, the processedactivation and reflected radiation signals do not match the stored VACvalue(s) for the speed, direction, and angle of the predefined secondarystage of the walking pattern, the process 1102 loops back to step 1016,to process additional activation and reflected radiation signals.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12″ includes one ormore illumination devices, the process 1100 illustratively includes step1106 to which the process 1100 advances following the “NO” branch ofstep 1112. In such embodiments, the processor or controller 14 isillustratively operable at step 1104 to control one or more illuminationdevices 112 and/or audible device, e.g., as described above, toilluminate and/or produce an audible alert based on a predetermined,i.e., stored, fail scheme, wherein the processed activation andreflected radiation signals are determined by the processor orcontroller 14, to fail to exhibit a predefined secondary stage of thewalking pattern.

If, at step 1112, the processor or controller 14 determines that,resulting from comparison of the processed activation and reflectedradiation signals with the stored VAC value(s), VAC for the secondarystage of the walking pattern is satisfied; that is, the processedactivation and reflected radiation signals match the stored VAC value(s)for the speed, direction, and angle of the predefined secondary stage ofthe walking pattern, the process 1102 illustratively advances to step1114.

In embodiments in which the object detection module 12″ includes one ormore illumination devices, the process 1100 illustratively includes step1116 to which the process 1100 advances following the “YES” branch ofstep 1112. In such embodiments, the processor or controller 14 isillustratively operable at step 1116 to control one or more illuminationdevices 112 and/or audible device, e.g., as described above, toilluminate and/or produce an audible alert based on a predetermined,i.e., stored, approval scheme, wherein the processed activation andreflected radiation signals are determined by the processor orcontroller 14, to exhibit a predefined secondary stage of the walkingpattern.

At step 1114, the processor or controller 14 is operable to control oneor more of the actuator driver circuits 40 to activate one or morecorresponding vehicle access actuators 46 in order to actuate one ormore corresponding vehicle access closure devices. Examples of suchvehicle access closure devices may include, but are not limited to, oneor more access closure locks, one or more access closure latches, andthe like. At step 1114, the processor or controller 14 may be operableto, for example, control at least one lock actuator associated with atleast one access closure of the motor vehicle to unlock the accessclosure from a locked state or condition and/or to lock the accessclosure from an unlocked state or condition, and/or to control at leastone latch actuator associated with at least one access closure of themotor vehicle to at least partially open the access closure from aclosed position or condition and/or to close the access closure from anat least partially open position or condition. In some embodiments, theprocessor or controller 14 of each of the object detection modules 12″mounted to the motor vehicle 70′ may execute the process 1100, or atleast some portion(s) thereof, and in such embodiments the processor orcontroller 14 of each object detection module 12″ may, at step 1114,control at least one actuator driver circuit 40 to activate the one ofthe vehicle access actuators 46 associated therewith. In alternateembodiments, the processor or controller 14 of any of the objectdetection modules 12″ that executes step 1114 may communicate a vehicleaccess actuation command to the processor(s) or controller(s) 14 ofother object detection modules 12″ mounted to the motor vehicle.

Referring now to FIG. 51, a portion of the gesture access systemimplementation of FIG. 39 or FIG. 48 is shown illustrating anotherembodiment in which the motor vehicle includes one or more powereddoors. It will be noted that not all of the components illustrated inFIG. 39 or FIG. 48 are depicted in FIG. 51 for clarity of illustration,although it will be understood that the gesture access systemillustrated in FIG. 51 includes any and all such components illustratedin FIG. 39 or FIG. 48 and described above. It will be further understoodthat control of the opening speed of one or more of the powered doors,as described in detail, is not limited to the gesture access systemimplementation illustrated in FIG. 51, but may be implemented in any ofthe various gesture access implementations illustrated in FIGS. 1-50 anddescribed above which include object detection capabilities as well asone or more powered doors as described below.

At least one of the side doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B and the rear door 80(e.g., rear hatch, trunk or the like) of the motor vehicle MV, 70, 70′may illustratively be a powered door. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 51, for example, each of the side doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B and therear door 80 is a powered door, and each includes a respective powermodule configured to be responsive to respective control signals to atleast open, and in some embodiments to also close, the respective door.For example, the door 72A includes an associated power module 84A, thedoor 72B includes an associated power module 84B, the door 76A includesan associated power module 84C, the door 76B includes an associatedpower module 84D, and the rear door 80 includes an associated powermodule 84E. Each of the power modules 84A-84E is illustrativelyelectrically connected to a respective one of the object detectionmodules 12, 12′, 12″ associated with the respective door via a number,K, of signal paths 85 _(K), wherein K may be may be any positiveinteger, such that each power module 84A-84E is controlled, at least inpart, by the processor/controller 14 associated with the respectiveobject detection module 12, 12′, 12″. Alternatively or additionally, oneor more of the power modules 84A-84E may be electrically connected to,and controlled, at least in part, by the vehicle control computer 24 asshown by dashed-line representation in FIG. 51. Alternatively oradditionally still, one or more of the power modules 84A-84E may beelectrically connected to, and controlled, at least in part, by one ormore other processors and/or controllers, such as a processor/controller42 associated with a respective actuator driver circuit 40, aprocessor/controller 62 associated with a respective audio/illuminationdevice driver circuit 60 or the like.

The term “powered door,” as this term is used herein, should beunderstood to mean that the respective door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 is apower-controlled door having a respective power module 84A-84E which iscontrolled to automatically open the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 bypushing or pulling the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, via a respectivemechanical linkage, from a closed state in which the door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80 is unlocked and unlatched but fully covers the correspondingaccess opening of the motor vehicle MV, 70, 70′, to a fully open statein which the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 uncovers the correspondingaccess opening sufficiently to allow ingress and egress by a person intoand from the driver/passenger compartment of the motor vehicle MV, 70,70′. In some embodiments, the fully open state may correspond to thedoor 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 being opened to a designed mechanical stopor limit (e.g., full extension of one or more mechanical door hinges),while in other embodiments the fully open state may correspond to thedoor 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 being opened to a position short of thedesigned mechanical stop or limit. In some embodiments, the powered door72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 may be manually closable from the fully or apartially open state to the closed state, and in other embodiments therespective power module 84A-84E and/or one or more other actuators maybe configured to automatically close, or assist in closing, the door72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 from the fully or partially open state to theclosed state, e.g., by pushing or pulling the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B,80 from the fully or partially open state to the closed state. In theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 51, the powered doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B,80 are illustratively swinging or pivoting doors, i.e., pivotablymounted to, and pivotably openable and closable relative to the motorvehicle MV, 70, 70′, e.g., with one side or end of the respective doorhinged to the motor vehicle MV, 70, 70′ such that the opposite side orend of the respective door swings open and closed laterally(horizontally) or vertically via the respective hinge(s). In someembodiments, one or more of the powered doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 mayalternatively be a sliding door configured to slide laterally orvertically to open and close the corresponding access opening in themotor vehicle MV, 70, 70′.

Referring now to FIG. 52, an embodiment is shown of one of the powermodules 84A-84E illustrated in FIG. 51 for controlling automatic openingof a respective powered door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80. In the illustratedembodiment, the power module 84A-84E includes a conventional power doormotor driver circuit 401 having at least one input connected to anoutput of a respective object detection module 12, 12′, 12″ via one (ormore) of the signal paths 851, and at least one output connected to aninput of a power door actuator 46 in the form of a power door controlmotor 461. A mechanical output of the motor 461, e.g., a rotary shaft, alinearly translating shaft or the like, is coupled via a mechanicallinkage, L, to the respective door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, whereby themotor 461 is operable in a conventional manner to draw the door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 open and/or closed as described above. In theillustrated embodiment, a conventional motor sensor 47 is operativelycoupled to motor 461 and includes an output connected to an input of arespective object detection module 12, 12′, 12″ (and/or to one or moreother control modules or control computers) via one (or more) of thesignal paths 852. In one embodiment, the motor sensor 47 is aconventional speed sensor configured to produce a motor speed signal onthe signal path(s) 852 corresponding to an operating (rotational orlinear) speed of the motor 461 from which the opening speed (and, insome embodiments, the closing speed) of the respective door 72A, 72B,76A, 76B, 80 can be determined by a processor or controller in aconventional manner. In some embodiments, the motor sensor 47 may be acombination of a conventional speed and position sensor in which themotor speed signal contains information from which the position of themotor output shaft can be determined relative to a reference position,and from which a corresponding open position of the respective door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 relative to a reference position, e.g., the closedposition or other position, can be determined by a processor orcontroller in a conventional manner. In alternate embodiments, the motorsensor 47 may include separate motor speed and motor position sensors.In some embodiments, as illustrated by dashed-line representation inFIG. 52, the power module may include a processor and/or controller 43having at least one input connected to an output of a respective objectdetection module 12, 12′, 12″ via one (or more) of the signal paths 85₃, at least one input an input receiving the output signal produced bythe motor sensor 47 (i.e., motor speed and/or position) and at least oneoutput connected to the power door motor driver 40 ₁. In suchembodiments, the processor/controller 43 may include, or be operativelycoupled to, at least one memory having instructions stored therein thatare executable by the processor/controller 43 to control the power doormotor driver 40 ₁ to control operation of the power door motor 46 ₁.

In some embodiments, the initial opening speed of any of the powereddoors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, i.e., the opening speed of the door(s)upon actuation of the motor 46 ₁ to open the door and prior to controlto a different opening speed based on object detection conditions, maybe a preset or “default” speed value stored in the memory 16 of theobject detection module 12, 12′, 12″ or other memory unit. The preset ofdefault speed value may, in some embodiments, be a maximum door openingspeed, i.e., the maximum or maximum allowed operating speed of the motor46 ₁. In alternate embodiments, the preset or default speed value may bea minimum door opening speed, i.e., the minimum or minimum allowedoperating speed of the motor 46 ₁, and in other alternate embodimentsthe preset or default speed value may be a speed value between theminimum and maxim door opening speeds.

In other embodiments, the initial opening speed of any of the powereddoors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 may be selected and set by an operator ofthe vehicle. Referring now to FIG. 53, for example, a simplifiedflowchart is shown of an embodiment of a process 1200 for selecting adoor opening speed for opening one or more of the powered doors 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 illustrated in FIG. 51. In some embodiments, theprocess 1200 may be executed for each of the powered doors 72A, 72B,76A, 76B, 80 such that each may have an individually assigned initialopening speed. In other embodiments, each execution of the process 1200may apply to all or a subset of the powered doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80such that the selected initial door opening speed is assigned to all orthe subset of powered doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80. In any case, theprocess 1200 is illustratively stored in the memory 16 of one or all ofthe object detection modules 12, 12′, 12″ in the form of instructionsexecutable by the processor/controller 14 of one or more of the objectdetection modules 12, 12′, 12″, and will be described as such below. Inalternate embodiments, the process 1200 may be stored in one or moreother memory units described above in the form of instructionsexecutable by the processor/controller thereof and communicated to oneor more of the object detection modules 12, 12′, 12″ in a conventionalmanner.

The process 1200 illustratively begins at step 1202 where theprocessor/controller 14 is operable to control a display to display adoor opening speed selection graphical user interface (GUI) includingone or more selectable door opening speed elements. The display mayillustratively be a display carried by the MCD 34, 34′ and operativelycoupled to the processor/controller 14, a display mounted in the motorvehicle 70, 70′ and operatively coupled to the processor/controller 26of the vehicle control computer 24, or other display. In any case, thedisplayed one or more selectable door opening speed elements may beuser-selectable in a conventional manner such that a user may manuallyselect, e.g., via user interaction with the display or other device(s),a user-defined door opening speed (e.g., the “initial” door openingspeed described above). The process 1200 advances from step 1202 to step1204 where the processor/controller 14 is operable to determine whethera door opening speed has been selected. If so, the process 1200 advancesto step 1206 where the processor/controller 14 is operable to assign aselected door opening speed variable, SDOS, to the value of the selecteddoor opening speed. If, on the other hand, while theprocessor/controller 14 determines at step 1204 that a door openingspeed has not been selected, the process 1200 advances to step 1208where the processor/controller 14 is operable to determine whether atimeout has occurred. If not, the process 1200 loops back to step 1202.If the processor/controller 14 determines at step 1208 that a timeouthas occurred, the process 1200 advances to step 1210 where theprocessor/controller 14 is operable to assign the selected door openingspeed variable, SDOS, to the default door opening speed. Illustratively,in the absence of execution of the process 1200, SDOS is equal to thedefault door opening speed.

Referring now to FIG. 54 is a simplified flowchart is shown of anembodiment of a process 1300 for executing step 724, 984, 1032 or 114 ofthe respective process 700, 960, 1010 and 1100 described above toinclude controlling opening of, and the opening speed of, a respectiveone of the powered doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 in the systemillustrated FIGS. 1-8 and/or in FIG. 51, after the respective door isunlocked and unlatched upon successful recognition of a correspondinggesture as described above, based on object movement and positionrelative to the respective powered door. The process 1300 may beexecuted for any of the powered doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 which aperson has successfully unlocked via any of the gesture access processesdescribed above. In any case, the process 1300 is illustratively storedin the memory 16 of each of the object detection modules 12, 12′, 12″ inthe form of instructions executable by the processor/controller 14 ofthe respective object detection modules 12, 12′, 12″, and will bedescribed as such below. In alternate embodiments, the process 1300 maybe stored in one or more other memory units described above in the formof instructions executable by the processor/controller thereof andcommunicated to one or more of the object detection modules 12, 12′, 12″in a conventional manner.

The process 1300 illustratively begins at step 1302 where theprocessor/controller 14 is operable, as described above with respect tosteps 724, 984, 1032 and 1114 of the respective process 700, 960, 1010and 1100 to control one or more of the actuator driver circuits 40 toactivate one or more corresponding vehicle access actuators 46 in orderto actuate one or more corresponding vehicle access closure devices. Asdescribed above, such one or more vehicle access closure devicesillustratively include, but are not limited to, access closure locks,i.e., conventional electrically actuatable locks for locking and/orunlocking each of the powered doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, and accessclosure latches, i.e., conventional electrically actuatable latches forlatching and/or unlatching each of the powered doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B,80. At step 1302, the processor/controller 14 is illustratively operableto control the lock actuator associated with the respective accessclosure of the motor vehicle, i.e., associated with the respective door72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, to unlock the access closure, i.e., therespective door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 from a locked state or condition.In some embodiments, the processor/controller 14 is further operable atstep 1302 to control the latch actuator to unlatch the unlocked accessclosure, i.e., to unlatch the respective unlocked door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80 from a latched state to allow the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 tobe subsequently opened under control of the power door motor 461. Inother embodiments, unlatching of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 may notbe carried out at step 1302 and may be delayed until theprocessor/controller 14 determines that contact between the door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 and an object will not be made upon activating themotor 461 to open the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 as will be describedbelow.

Following step 1302, the process 1300 advances to step 1304 where theprocessor/controller 14 is operable, in the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 54, to control the power door motor 461 of the respective door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 to open the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 at the dooropening speed SDOS stored in the memory 16 of the respective objectdetection module 12, 12′, 12″. In some embodiments, the process 1300 mayoptionally include a step 1306 to which the process 1300 advances fromstep 1304, as illustrated by dashed-line representation in FIG. 54,and/or may include the step 1306 prior to execution of step 1304. Ineither case, the processor/controller 14 is operable at step 1306, inembodiments which include it, to control one or more of the audio and/orillumination device driver circuits 60 to activate one or morecorresponding audio and/or illumination devices 66 in a manner whichnotifies the user (i.e., the person attempting to gain entrance to thevehicle 70, 70′ via the respective door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80) that therespective door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 is opening (or, in embodimentswhich step 1306 is alternatively or additionally executed prior to step1304, in a manner which notifies the user that the respective door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 is about to begin opening). Example audio deviceswhich may be activated at step 1306 may include, but are not limited to,the vehicle horn, an audible device configured to emit one or morechirps, beeps, or other audible indicators, or the like. Exampleillumination devices which may be activated at step 1306 may include,but are not limited to, a respective one, subset or set of theillumination devices 112 associated with the opening door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80 (in embodiments which include one or more such illuminationdevices 112), one or more existing exterior motor vehicle lights orlighting systems, e.g., headlamp(s), tail lamp(s), running lamp(s),brake lamp(s), side marker lamp(s), or the like, and/or one or moreexisting interior motor vehicle lights or lighting systems, e.g., domelamp, access closure-mounted lamp(s), motor vehicle floor-illuminationlamp(s), trunk illumination lamp(s), or the like.

The one or more audio and/or illumination devices may be controlled atstep 1306 in any manner including, but not limited to, any one or moreof the examples described above. In one example embodiment, which shouldnot be considered to be limiting in any way, the one or moreillumination devices may be controlled at step 1306 prior to executionof step 1304 to illuminate with a particular color or flash at a rate orwith a particular color which serves as a warning that the door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 is about to be automatically opened. Alternatively oradditionally, the one or more illumination devices may be controlled atstep 1306 after execution of step 1304 to illuminate with a particularcolor and/or flash at rate corresponding to the opening speed of therespective door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 54, the process 1300 advances fromstep 1306, or from step 1304 in embodiments which do not include step1306, to step 1308 where the processor/controller 14 is operable tomeasure the door opening speed (DOS); that is, the speed at which theactivated motor 461 is opening the respective door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B,80, by processing the speed signal produced by the motor sensor 47. Insome embodiments in which the motor sensor 47 includes a positionsensor, the processor/controller 14 may also be operable at step 1308 todetermine the position of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 relative to areference position, e.g., to determine an amount, degree or the likethat the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 is open relative to a closedposition of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80.

Thereafter at step 1310, the processor/controller 14 is operable tomonitor a number of parameters of an object, if any, detected by theradar unit carried by the object detection module 12, 12′, 12″. In theembodiment of the process 1300 illustrated in FIG. 54, for example, theprocessor/controller 14 is operable to monitor object movement speed(SP), movement direction (DIR) and distance or position (DIST) of theobject relative to the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80. Illustratively, theobject is the user or person attempting to gain access to the vehicle70, 70′ via the respective door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, and theprocessor/controller 14 is operable to process the radar signals, asdescribed above, to determine and monitor the object parameters SP, DIRand DIST. Illustratively, the object parameters are determined relativeto the position of the respective object detection module 12, 12′, 12″,and the processor/controller 14 is operable at step 1310 to process, ina conventional manner, the object parameters along, with stored datarelating to the physical characteristics of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B,80 and placement of the object detection module 12, 12′, 12″ relativethereto, to determine the object parameters SP, DIR and DIST relative toone or more portions of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, e.g., relativeto the leading edge of the opening door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 and/orother portion(s) of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80. In any case, SPillustratively corresponds to the speed with which the object (e.g.,user) is moving relative to the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, DIRcorresponds to the direction of movement of the object (e.g., user)relative to the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 and DIST corresponds to thedistance of the object (e.g., user) from the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80or portion thereof.

From step 1310, the process 1300 advances to step 1312 where theprocessor/controller 14 is operable to compare the measured door openingspeed, DOS, to the object parameters SP, DIR and DIST, and to compute adoor opening speed modification value DOS_(M) based on the comparison.Thereafter at step 1314, the processor/controller 14 is operable todetermine whether the current opening speed of the door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80 (SDOS) requires modification based on DOS_(M). If so, theprocess 1300 advances to step 1316 where the processor/controller 14 isoperable to modify SDOS as a function of the current value of SDOS andDOS_(M), and thereafter at step 1318 the processor/controller 14 isoperable to control the power door motor 461 to a door opening speed ofthe new value of SDOS determined at step 1318 before looping back tostep 1306 (or to step 1308 in embodiments which do not include step1306). If, at step 1314, the processor/controller 14 determines thatSDOS does not, based on the comparison at step 1312, require anymodification from the current value of SDOS, the process 1300 advancesto step 1320 where the processor/controller 14 determines whether thedoor is fully open. If not, the process loops back to step 1308, andotherwise the processor/controller 14 deactivates the power door motor461 at step 1322.

Illustratively, the processor/controller 14 is operable to computeDOS_(M) at step 1312 in a manner which, when used to modify SDOS at step1316, serves to avoid contact between the opening door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80 and the object (e.g., user or, in some cases, another moving orstationary object). Illustratively DOS_(M) may be a multiplier value(positive or negative) which will get multiplied by the current dooropening speed SDOS, an offset value (positive or negative) which willget added to the current door opening speed SDOS, or a replacement valuewhich will replace the current door opening speed SDOS. In some cases,the new value of SDOS computed at step 1316 may be greater than thecurrent value of SDOS, and in other cases the new value of SDOS may beless than the current value of SDOS. Is still other cases, the new valueof SDOS computed at step 1316 may be zero—effectively stopping movementof the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 until object parameters indicate thatthe door opening can be resumed.

In some alternate embodiments of the process 1300 illustrated in FIG.54, steps 1304-1308 may not be executed until the processor/controller14 has determined that any object detected near the powered door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 is positioned at a safe distance from the door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 so as to avoid contact, e.g., until after execution ofsteps 1310-1316. In such embodiments, the controller/processor 14 mayalso be configured to delay unlatching of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B,80 until just prior to activating the motor 46 ₁. Any such alternateembodiments will be referred to hereinafter as “variations” of theprocess 1300.

Generally, the gesture access process via which the user may unlock oneof the doors 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 prior to automatic opening of thedoor 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 according to the process 1300 or variationsthereof may be any of the gesture access processes described above,e.g., a predefined hand or foot gesture, walking speed, etc. In suchgesture access processes, the user will typically positioned proximateto the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 to be opened when step 1302 isexecuted, and in order for the motor 46 ₁ to open the door 72A, 72B,76A, 76B, 80 safely, i.e., without contacting the user, the user mustmove away from the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 at a speed that is fasterthan the door opening speed or must have already moved sufficiently awayfrom the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 such that the door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80, even when fully open, will not contact the user. The process1300 illustratively manages the door opening speed in a manner whichensures that the opening door will not contact the user or other object,and further manages the door opening speed so as to match the speed ofmovement of the user away from the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 so as toaccommodate both quickly moving users and slowly moving users.

Several example scenarios of control of the opening of a powered dooraccording to the process 1300 or variations thereof will now bedescribed. In one example scenario, the user, after the door 72A, 72B,76A, 76B, 80 is unlocked at step 1302, backs away from the door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80 at a speed which is faster than that of the openingdoor, SDOS. In one embodiment of this scenario, the door opening speedmodification value DOS_(M) may reflect no change in the current value ofSDOS since the speed at which the user is backing away from the door isgreater than SDOS, and there is no danger of contact between the userand the door. Step 1314 may branch to step 1320 in this embodiment ofthe present scenario, and will continue to do so as long as the speed atwhich the user is backing away from the door exceeds SDOS. In otherembodiments of this scenario, the door opening speed modification valueDOS_(M) may reflect an increased change in the current value of SDOS ifthe current door opening speed SDOS is less than the maximum dooropening speed or maximum allowable door opening speed. In thisembodiment of the present scenario, DOS_(M) may be computed so as toincrease SDOS at step 1316 to a door opening speed which matches thespeed at which the user is backing away from the door so long as apredefined safe distance is maintained between the door and the user.

In another example scenario, the user, after the door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80 is unlocked at step 1302, fails to move away from the door 72A,72B, 76A, 76B, 80. In this scenario, contact between the door and theuser will be imminent and the door opening speed modification valueDOS_(M) may be computed so as to require the processor/controller 14 tostop or deactivate the motor 46 ₁ to stop the door from opening, or todelay activation of the motor 46 ₁ to keep the door from opening invariations of the process 1300. In this scenario, theprocessor/controller 14 may control the illumination device(s) 112, 112′at step 1306 in a manner which is indicative of the stopped (ornon-started) state of the door. The motor 46 ₁ and door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80 will illustratively remain stationary until the user moves, orbegins moving, away from the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, after whichthe door opening speed modification value DOS_(M) will reflect anincreased change in the current value of SDOS so that operation of themotor 46 ₁ is resumed (or is started) to continue (or begin) opening thedoor.

In yet another example scenario, the user, after the door 72A, 72B, 76A,76B, 80 is unlocked at step 1302, moves away from the door 72A, 72B,76A, 76B, 80 with a speed that is less than that of the opening door. Inthis scenario, contact between the door and the user will be imminent atthe current opening speed of the door and the door opening speedmodification value DOS_(M) will be computed so as to require theprocessor/controller 14 reduce the speed of the motor 46 ₁ to slow theopening speed of the door. The door opening speed modification valueDOS_(M) will depend on the user's speed and position relative to thedoor such that the new value of SDOS will correspond to a door openingspeed which maintains a predefined safe distance between the openingdoor and the slowly retreating user. In this scenario, theprocessor/controller 14 may control the illumination device(s) 112, 112′at step 1306 in a manner which is indicative of the slowed speed of thedoor.

Illustratively, the process 1300 and variations thereof will continuallymonitor the opening speed DOS of the door and the object parametersincluding the speed SP, direction DIR of movement of the user relativeto the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 and the position or distance DIST ofthe user from the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80, and modify the openingspeed SDOS of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80 based on the measuredspeed DOS of the door and the object parameters so as to maintain apredefined safe distance between the opening door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80and the user. The processor/controller 14 may further control theillumination device(s) 112, 112′ at step 1306 in a manner which isindicative of the operational status of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80,e.g., stopped, begin opening, about to begin opening, fully open, etc.,and/or to reflect the opening speed of the door 72A, 72B, 76A, 76B, 80.

While this disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail inthe foregoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described andthat all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of thisdisclosure are desired to be protected. Obviously, many modificationsand variations of this disclosure are possible in light of the aboveteachings, and it is to be understood that the various featuresdescribed herein may be practiced in any combination whether or notspecifically recited in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A gesture access system for a motor vehiclehaving a powered door, the gesture access system comprising: at leastone wireless signal transceiver configured to be mounted to the motorvehicle, the at least one wireless signal transceiver responsive toactivation signals to emit wireless signals outwardly away from themotor vehicle, and to produce wireless detection signals, the wirelessdetection signals including at least one reflected wireless signal if atleast one of the emitted wireless signals is reflected by an objecttoward and detected by the at least one wireless signal transceiver, amotor responsive to motor control signals to open the power door, atleast one processor, and at least one memory having instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to (i) process the activation and wireless detectionsignals to determine whether an object is following a predefinedgesture, (ii) upon determining that the object is following thepredefined gesture, control an unlocking actuator to unlock and unlatchthe powered door, (iii) following unlocking of the powered door, monitorand process the activation and wireless detection signals to determineobject parameters including a speed of movement of the object away from,and a distance of the object relative to, the powered door, (iv)determine a door opening speed based on the object parameters, and (v)control the motor control signals to open the powered door at thedetermined door opening speed.
 2. The gesture access system of claim 1,wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to continuallyexecute (iii)-(v) until the powered door is fully open.
 3. The gestureaccess system of claim 2, further comprising a sensor configured toproduce a speed signal corresponding to an opening speed of the powereddoor, and wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memoryinclude instructions executable by the at least one processor to causethe at least one processor to process the speed signal to determine ameasured door opening speed of the powered door, and to control themotor control signals to match the measured door opening speed to atleast one of a speed of the object moving away from the powered door anda position of the object relative to the powered door.
 4. The gestureaccess system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory has storedtherein an initial door opening speed, and wherein the instructionsstored in the at least one memory include instructions executable by theat least one processor to control the motor control signals to open thepowered door at the initial door opening speed following unlocking ofthe powered door, and wherein (v) comprises controlling the motorcontrol signals to control the door opening speed from the initial dooropening speed to the determined door opening speed based on the objectparameters.
 5. The gesture access system of claim 4, wherein theinstructions stored in the at least one memory include instructionsexecutable by the at least one processor to control the motor controlsignals to maintain the initial door opening speed until the powereddoor is fully open in response to determining, based on the initial dooropening speed and the object parameters, that the object maintains asafe distance from the opening powered door.
 6. The gesture accesssystem of claim 1, further comprising at least one indicator operativelycoupled to the processor, wherein the at least one memory hasinstructions stored therein executable by the at least one processor tocause the at least one processor to activate the at least one indicatorin response to controlling the motor control signals to open the powereddoor and to control operation of the at least one indicator according tothe determined door opening speed.
 7. The gesture access system of claim1, wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to control themotor control signals to stop the motor, and thereby stop the opening ofthe powered door, upon determining from the door opening speed and theobject parameters that contact between the power door and the object isimminent.
 8. The gesture access system of claim 7, further comprising atleast one indicator operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the atleast one memory has instructions stored therein executable by the atleast one processor to cause the at least one processor to activate theat least one indicator in response to, and according to, controlling themotor control signals to stop the motor.
 9. The gesture access system ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one wireless signal transceiver includesan ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver and the wireless detection signalsare UWB detection signals, and wherein the predefined gesture comprisesa predefined walking pattern, and wherein the at least one memory hasinstructions stored therein executable by the at least one processor tocause the at least one processor to process the activation and UWBdetection signals to determine a position of the object while followingthe predefined walking pattern and, upon determining that the object iswithin a predefined position while following the predefined walkingpattern, control the unlocking actuator to unlock the powered door inresponse to the object being within the predefined position whilefollowing the predefined walking pattern.
 10. The gesture access systemof claim 9, wherein the at least one wireless signal transceiverincludes a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transceiver and the wirelessdetection signals are BLE detection signals, wherein the at least onememory has instructions stored therein executable by the at least oneprocessor to cause the at least one processor to process the activationand BLE detection signals to determine an angle at which the object ismoving while following the predefined walking pattern and, upondetermining that the angle is within a predefined angle while followingthe predefined walking pattern, control the unlocking actuator to unlockthe powered door in response to the object moving at the predefinedangle while following the predefined walking pattern.
 11. The gestureaccess system of claim 1, further comprising at least one indicatoroperatively coupled to the processor, wherein the predefined gesturecomprises a predefined walking pattern, and wherein the at least onememory has instructions stored therein executable by the at least oneprocessor to cause the at least one processor to activate the at leastone indicator in response to, and according to, at least one ofdetermining that the object is following the predefined walking patternand controlling the unlocking actuator to unlock the powered door. 12.The gesture access system of claim 1, further comprising a sensorconfigured to produce a perimeter signal corresponding a position of theobject relative to a predefined perimeter surrounding the motor vehicle,wherein the at least one memory has instructions stored thereinexecutable by the at least one processor to process the perimeter signaland activate the at least one wireless signal transceiver in response tothe object being within the predefined perimeter.
 13. The gesture accesssystem of claim 12, wherein the sensor includes at least one of the atleast one wireless signal transceiver, a radar unit, an ultra-widebandradar unit, an infrared sensor, a camera or a lidar scanner.
 14. Agesture access system for a motor vehicle having a powered door, thegesture access system comprising: at least one wireless signaltransceiver configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, the at leastone wireless signal transceiver responsive to activation signals to emitwireless signals outwardly away from the motor vehicle, and to producewireless detection signals, the wireless detection signals including atleast one reflected wireless signal if at least one of the emittedwireless signals is reflected by an object toward and detected by the atleast one wireless signal transceiver, a motor responsive to motorcontrol signals to open the power door, at least one indicatorconfigured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, at least one processor,and at least one memory having instructions stored therein executable bythe at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to (i)monitor a mobile device status signal produced by a control computer ofthe motor vehicle or by the at least one processor based on adetermination by the control computer or the at least one processor of aproximity, relative to the motor vehicle, of a mobile communicationdevice known to the control computer or to the at least one processor,(ii) in response to the mobile device status signal corresponding to theknown mobile communication device being within a perimeter defined aboutthe motor vehicle, process the activation and wireless detection signalsto determine whether an object is exhibiting a predefined gesture, (iii)upon determining that the object is exhibiting the predefined gesture,control an unlocking actuator to unlock the powered door, (iv) followingunlocking of the powered door, control the motor control signals to openthe powered door and activate the at least one indicator according to adoor opening indication scheme.
 15. The gesture access system of claim14, wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to (a) following unlocking of the powered door,monitor and process the activation and wireless detection signals todetermine object parameters including a speed of movement of the objectaway from, and a distance of the object relative to, the powered door,(b) determine a door opening speed based on the object parameters, and(c) control the motor control signals to open the powered door at thedetermined door opening speed.
 16. The gesture access system of claim15, wherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to continuallyexecute (a)-(c) until the powered door is fully open, and wherein thedoor opening indication scheme corresponds to the determined dooropening speed and the at least one memory has instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to control operation of the at least one indicatoraccording to the determined door opening speed.
 17. The gesture accesssystem of claim 16, further comprising a sensor configured to produce aspeed signal corresponding to an opening speed of the powered door, andwherein the instructions stored in the at least one memory includeinstructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the atleast one processor to process the speed signal to determine a measureddoor opening speed of the powered door, and to control the motor controlsignals to match the measured door opening speed to at least one of aspeed of the object moving away from the powered door and a position ofthe object relative to the powered door.
 18. The gesture access systemof claim 14, wherein the indicator is at least one of an illuminationdevice to produce light visible from outside the motor vehicle, a deviceconfigured to produce illuminated graphics, a device configured toproject visible light or illuminated graphics onto a surface supportingthe motor vehicle, or an audio device configured to produce one or moreaudible signals.
 19. A gesture access system for a motor vehicle havinga powered door, the gesture access system comprising: at least onewireless signal transceiver configured to be mounted to the motorvehicle, the at least one wireless signal transceiver responsive toactivation signals to emit wireless signals outwardly away from themotor vehicle, and to produce wireless detection signals, the wirelessdetection signals including at least one reflected wireless signal if atleast one of the emitted wireless signals is reflected by an objecttoward and detected by the at least one wireless signal transceiver, amotor responsive to motor control signals to open the power door, atleast one indicator configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, atleast one processor, and at least one memory having instructions storedtherein executable by the at least one processor to cause the at leastone processor to (i) process the activation and wireless detectionsignals to determine whether an object is following a predefined walkingpattern, (iii) upon determining that the object is following thepredefined walking pattern, control an unlocking actuator to unlock thepowered door, (iv) following unlocking of the powered door, control themotor control signals to open the powered door and activate the at leastone indicator according to a door opening indication scheme.
 20. Thegesture access system of claim 19, wherein the instructions stored inthe at least one memory include instructions executable by the at leastone processor to cause the at least one processor to (a) followingunlocking of the powered door, monitor and process the activation andwireless detection signals to determine object parameters including aspeed of movement of the object away from, and a distance of the objectrelative to, the powered door, (b) determine a door opening speed basedon the object parameters, and (c) control the motor control signals toopen the powered door at the determined door opening speed.